Harare (New Ziana)-More than half of the country’s cities, towns and rural service centres are now water secure as the dams that supply them now have the precious liquid sufficient to last 21-months, an official said on Wednesday.

The urban water management strategy for Zimbabwe uses a drought mitigation condition called 21 months rule to minimise the effects of future droughts to urban centres.

In summary the rule details that if storage at end of a rainy season is not sufficient to sustain a city to the next rainy season water shedding should commence immediately.

Zimbabwe National Water Authority (Zinwa) corporate communications and marketing manager Marjorie Munyonga said the water held in the dams supplying cities and towns with raw water could now take them for a period of at least 21 months at the current demand and even in the absence of further inflows.

She said the situation was expected to improve as more rains were still expected throughout the country according to the Meteorological Services Department.

As of February 9, dams supplying raw water to 51.1 percent of the country’s major towns held water that could take the centres for a period of at least 21 months.

“Towns, cities, growth points and rural service centres whose raw water sources now satisfy the 21-month rule and holding water capable of lasting for at least 30 months at current demand include Harare, Kadoma, Marondera, Plumtree, Rusape, Bindura, Masvingo, Buhera, Bikita, Murambinda, Mashava, Zvishavane, Mberengwa and Mutawatawa.

“Other towns whose water supply dams satisfied the 21-month rule but capable of lasting for a period of under 30 months are Gweru (25, 6 months), Rushinga (26. 5 months), Shurugwi (21. 3 months) and Kwekwe (22. 3 months),” she said.

Munyonga said at least 40. 4 percent of the urban centres, towns, growth points and rural service centres are in the moderate category with their water supply dams holding water sufficient to last periods between 12 and 20. 9 months.

“These centres include Sadza, Karoi, Hwedza, Chegutu, Mvurwi, Insukamini, Figtree, Murehwa and Chipinge,” she said.

She however said there were some centres with less water.

“Centres that remain water insecure with less than 12 months supplies in their raw water sources constitute 8, 5% and include Mt Darwin, Bulawayo and Mutoko,” she said.

New Ziana