Serious water crisis hits Rusape

A CRIPPLING water crisis has once again gripped Rusape town as one of its sources of raw water, Rusape River, has depleted, leaving thousands of residents and businesses going for weeks without the precious liquid.

Rusape Town Council sources 40 percent of its water from Rusape River, process it at the Town Water Works Plant, and pump it directly to consumers.

The other source is Rusape Dam which supplies the rest of the town.

In the past few years, Rusape River has been overwhelmed by water demand from commercial farmers who are drawing large volumes to irrigate wheat, tobacco, maize and other crops.

This is leaving the council with limited or no water at all to feed its Town Water Works Plant.

Long winding queues at boreholes are now a common site in the town amid growing fears of outbreak of water borne-diseases such as cholera and dysentery.

Macheke Sub-Catchment Council manager, Mr Jonathan Mazani, said low levels in the river is attributed to the low rainfall received last season, and revealed that they are engaging farmers for the fair use of the water for the benefit of all stakeholders.

“The drying up of Rusape River is attributed to low rainfall that we received during the 2024/2025 season, and abstractions which are happening along the river which we are managing. We look forward to the improvement of the flow. We have Lawrencedale Sam upstream which we have opened all its values to improve the flow so that the town will get the water to supply its residents.

“This dam is managed by our counterpart Zimbabwe National Water Authority (ZINWA). We have been moving around the farms engaging farms to use water sparingly and avoid over-abstraction. This is meant to improve the flow along the course of the river. We are controlling water is happening along the river,” said Mr Mazani.

Rusape Residents Trust chairman, Mr Portipher Guta, said council must decommission its Town Water Works and fully ultilise Rusape Dam which has enough water to service the town.

“The water situation is now a public health risk as water-borne disease thrive under these circumstances. It is also high time the council do away with abstracting water from the river which is also being utilised by the farmers whose activities benefit the economy.

“Let us draw all our water from Rusape Dam which has abundant water. The issue of the river drying up is now a perennial issue, and we must come up with lasting solutions. We need to invest in new pumping and storage infrastructure at the dam,” said Mr Guta.