By Bulawayo Correspondent

BULAWAYO residents should brace themselves for an indefinite water shutdown following a crippling power outage at the local authority’s water treatment plants.

The city’s town clerk, Christopher Dube announced normal water supplies will only be restored after the Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission and Distribution Company (ZETDC) had rectified the problem.

“The City of Bulawayo would like to advice members of the public that there will be an emergency shutdown of water supplies to all residential areas in the city except for industry and the central business district,” Dube said.

“The interruption is due to power outages experienced at Ncema Treatment Works and Fernhill Booster Station that resulted in loss of treatment and pumping.”

The town clerk said the power outages had resulted in low water reservoir levels across the city.

“Further to that, there was the loss of pumping due to power outages at the Rochester pump station in Nyamandlovu resulting in lack of pumping from the Aquifer. The shutdown will be maintained until the restoration of power supply and pumping to enable treatment and to allow for the supply reservoirs to gain to satisfaction levels,” he said.

Dube added suburbs supplied by Tuli, Rifle Range, and Hillside water reservoirs would also be affected by the shutdown.

He, however, assured residents the power utility was now working on restoring supplies.

“The ZETDC is already on the ground investigating the cause of the outages and low voltage and are working towards the restoration of supplies. Residents are further advised to conserve water accordingly and ensure that taps remain turned off in case of earlier resupply,” Dube said.