Story by John Nhandara
The country is guaranteed of reliable and adequate water supply after an increase in the national dam levels which currently stands at 83 percent, according to statistics from the Zimbabwe National Water Authority (ZINWA).
The development increase has been attributed to the current wet spell.
Significant inflows and increases have also been recorded in dams such as Mazowe which is now 44 percent full, while dams like Tugwi Mukosi and Mutirikwi are at 91.4 percent and 94 percent respectively.
ZINWA spokesperson Tsungirirai Shoriwa has attributed the disparities in water levels to factors such as discrepancies in opening water levels when the rainfall season begun and disparities in rains being received in different parts of the country.
“Due to the current wet spell, the national dam level average has risen to 83 percent. The difference in water levels is as a result of factors that include opening water levels in the dams when the rainy season started,” she said.
The improved dam levels translate to improved water security for urban water supply for domestic and industrial use and irrigation.
“Most of our dams serve primarily two purposes, that is urban water supply and irrigation purposes. What this means is our dams will carry urban councils to the next rain season, while we now have sufficient water for our irrigation.”
Several dams such as Kunzvi Dam in Mashonaland East and Gwayi Shangani in Matabeleland North are also being constructed across the country to improve water harvesting.
