A BULAWAYO-BASED environmentalist Never Bonde has appealed to government to avail funds for the rehabilitation of dams in the country in a development meant to increase their water holding capacity ahead of the rainy season.
Bonde, who is also the national tree ambassador, said siltation is a major concern in Zimbabwe and it is the role of the government to fund the de-siltation processes.
“I urge the government to engage the relevant authorities to scoop our dams before the peak of the rainy season so that we relieve the shortage of water in our cities and towns in the next season,” he said.
Bonde added that he has so far planted a total of 89 000 trees in various suburbs in Bulawayo as one of the measures to curb the effects of climate change.
He said disposable diapers thrown around and hair from unregulated barbershops operating under trees continue to be a threat to water sources and he encouraged relevant authorities to enforce health standards for all businesses.
“Such businesses can be registered so that they are also allocated correct spaces for operations. The availability of hair and plastic material poses a real threat to all aquatic life as plastic is poisonous to these species.
“There is a project that was initiated at St Joseph’s School in Rusape, Manicaland province, where the school authorities banned the use of plastics and encouraged the use of lunch boxes for all learners, whereby they empty their snacks into the lunch boxes and only bring lunch boxes to school,” he said.
Recently, the Zimbabwe National Water Authority (Zinwa) dismissed claims that Bulawayo dams were silted, resulting in perennial water shortages in the city.
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Zinwa spokesperson Marjorie Munyonga recently said “it’s not true” that the six Bulawayo supply dams, all that are located in Matabeleland South province, namely Umzingwane, Insiza Mayfair, Mtshabezi, Lower Ncema, Upper Ncema and Inyankuni are silted.
“In general for Lower and Upper Ncema, Umzingwane, Inyankuni dams do not receive enough inflows in most years. Mtshabezi and Insiza Mayfair always receive more water compared to the other Bulawayo City Council supply dams. Dams under Zinwa are always properly maintained,” Munyonga said.
