By Bulawayo Correspondent

BULAWAYO City Council has received a timely shot in the arm for its perennial water woes after Vitens Evides International (VEI) availed additional funding for the city’s Water WorX Phase 11 Programme.

Water levels in Bulawayo’s six supply dams Umzingwane, Inyankuni, Mtshabezi, Upper Ncema and lower Ncema have remained low despite comparatively good rains the country received between late last year to early this year.

Council acting director of engineering services Sikhumbuzo Ncube had warned recently that if the prevailing dry spell continues to persist they will be forced to reintroduce a tighter water-shedding exercise.

Council’s Corporate Communications Officer, Bongiwe Ngwenya said the Water WorX Operator Partnership (WOP) project started on 1 January 2022 and will end on December 31 2026.

“The main objectives of the WOP is to enable the city to sustainably provide water and sanitation services to all customers at an improved level of service,” said Ngwenya.

“This is expected to be achieved by improving the quality of leadership, human resources productivity and stakeholder relations.”

The grant is also expected to fund strategic business planning, harnessing of investment funding, inclusion of disadvantaged groups in key processes, influencing the enabling environment and as well as the protection of water sources.

Ngwenya said VEI and the Bulawayo city council will be holding a signing ceremony for the project on Monday.