BULAWAYO City Council (BCC) has decommissioned Upper Ncema Dam due to critical water levels amid indications all the city’s supply dams water levels have dwindled to 28%.
The dam, located in Matabeleland South, had its water levels fall to 2,03% rendering it unusable and non-operational.
In a notice yesterday, council said it was forced to decommission the vital water source due to alarmingly low water levels.
“Upper Ncema Dam, a crucial reservoir located on the same river as Lower Ncema Dam, was intended to replenish the latter during the dry season,” the notice read.
“However, due to the on-going drought, the dam gates had to be opened prematurely on August 28, 2024. Consequently, Upper Ncema Dam has reached its non-operational level (dead water level) and will be decommissioned effective October 3, 2024.”
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Bulawayo city water is drawn from six supply dams and Upper Ncema is the second dam to be decommissioned after Umzingwane Dam was decommissioned in November last year when it fell to 2,14%.
The overall dam percentages as of October 2 this year was recorded at 28,16 % from all the dams including Insiza, Inyankuni, Lower Ncema and Mtshabezi as well as the two de-commissioned dams.
Meanwhile, the City of Bulawayo has been battling with clouds of smoke from the Richmond landfill since September 29.
In a notice, council said the landfill was on fire due to spontaneous combustion and efforts were underway to reduce the amount of smoke emanating from the landfill.
“The city has been battling the fire since September 29, 2024 and has created fire guards using a front-end loader to control the spread.
“High temperatures and the wind have, however, been a challenge in controlling the fire, resulting in the smoke spreading to neighbouring suburbs,” council said.
In another notice, mayor David Coltart’s office announced that town clerk Christopher Dube’s contract expired on September 30 paving way for a call for applications to fill the position.
The notice indicated that Dube had already vacated office.
“The town clerk’s (Mr Christopher Dube) four-year contract with the City of Bulawayo ended at midnight of Monday September 30, 2024. Whereas council had resolved (February 7, 2024) to extend the contract subject to approval by the Local Government Board, a request of approval was sent to the Local Government Board on March 25, 2024,” the notice read.
“However, by the end of day of September 30, 2024, such approval had not been obtained. In the circumstances, therefore, the town clerk vacated office at midnight on September 30, 2024 on expiration of contract.
“The City of Bulawayo will soon commence the search for a new town clerk and in the meantime, as provided in the Urban Councils Act, [Chapter 29:15], the Chamber Secretary (Sikhangele Zhou) will be acting town clerk until a substantive town clerk is appointed.”
