Bulawayo City Council

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Water Services

Water Branch

The branch is divided into the five sections namely; water quality, water supplies, water distribution, electromechanical and projects. The sections all combined are responsible for the abstraction, purification and delivery of water to the consumer as well collection, treatment and disposal of waste water.

Water Quality Section

This section is responsible for water quality control which is the sampling & testing of water from its source along the system until it reaches the consumer to ensure that it meets both local standards and WHO standards.The section is also responsible for ensuring that wastewater standards comply with Pollution Control standards before being discharged into public streams.It monitors the by-products of industrial processes that are discharged into public drains and streams to ensure that they comply with the trade waste standards.

Water Supplies Section

This section is responsible for bulk water abstraction, water purification, delivery to city reservoirs, sewerage treatment and disposal, water statistics and pipeline inspection.

Water Distribution Section

This section is responsible for the water and sewerage reticulation, consumer complaints, water and sewer connections, water meter testing, water bursts and leakage controls, sewer blockages, high pressure flushing and vacuum tanker services.

Electromechanical Section

This section is responsible for the operation and maintenance of all electrical and mechanical equipment that is used from the water source all the way to the waste water disposal point.It is section that employs highly specialised skills and equipment to ensure that the water system functions effectively.

Projects Section

This section is responsible for the construction or installation of new water and sewer infrastructure that caters for new developments within the city.It is also responsible for the supervision of developments being carried out by private developers within the city and involves regular site inspections.

General Information

For the purposes of this document unless otherwise stated,

“All offices” when referring to water services means where water businesses are performed.

All offices refer physically to the following:

  • Tower Block 5th Floor
  • Mabutweni Water Workshops
  • Nkulumane Water Workshops
  • Town Main water Workshops

“All offices” when referring to “Wastewater Services” means where wastewater businesses are performed.

All offices refer physically to the following:

  • Roads Yard
  • Tower block 5th Floor
  • Mabutweni Sewer Workshop
  • Nkulumane Sewer Workshops

All offices when referring to water quality services means where water quality businesses are performed.

  • Tower Block 5th Floor
  • Criterion Laboratory

How To Contact Us

We may be contacted telephonically, electronically, or personally.

You may personally visit us for the application of services and queries at:

Call Centre, Ground Floor, Tower Block or contact us through our toll free number available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

If you are unable to get through via the Call Centre the E- services that are available are as listed below:

  • E mail: email to be advised
  • SMS: <<<<<<<<<<<<<<
  • Fax: ????????????????

These facilities can be used to report water leaks, burst pipes, water and sewer faults, and water quality problems and make water account enquiries.

Office Telephone Numbers


Call Centre Everyday: 0800 hours – 1700 hours
Tower Block 75011 Weekdays: 0800 hours – 1700 hours
Mabutweni Water Workshops 413419 Weekdays: 0800 hours – 1600 hours
Nkulumane Water Workshops 484833 Weekdays: 0800 hours – 1600 hours
Town Main water Workshops 60408 Weekdays: 0800 hours – 1600 hours
Rods Yard 67008 Weekdays: 0800 hours – 1600 hours
Criterion Laboratory 242897 Weekdays: 0800 hours – 1615 hours

Levels of Service Available:


Water


In order to make water available to customers at an affordable cost, three levels of service are offered to domestic customers:


Sanitation


The accepted levels for sanitation are:



Free Basic Services


Water


All customers receive the first 5kl per month free of charge, with risingblock tariffs and fixed charges for all customers.


Accounts


Service / Service Product Service Level Standards Location
Flow Limiter(Restriction discs) Applications Immediate Revenue Hall Tower Block
Multi-Metering(Meter separation) 14 Days Tower Block
Cross Meters (Illegal Connections) Immediate Tower Block
Raising of Waste Water & Pollution Charges 1 Day Criterion Laboratory, Burnside Rd.
Opening/Terminating of Waste Water customers accounts Immediate Criterion Laboratory, Burnside Rd.
Response to trade effluent charge queries 7 days Criterion Laboratory, Burnside Rd.
Processing of applications to discharge industrial effluent to sewer and /or via road tanker 7 days Criterion Laboratory, Burnside Rd.
Complaints regarding storm water and river water pollution 4 hours Call Centre
Applications to install low volume, on site, waste water treatment plants 14 Days Tower Block

Engineering Services Contact Centre


Service / Service Product Service Level Standards Location
Capturing of all telephone queries with regards to Engineering Service Faults Immediate Tower Block
Call Centre
Processing of all engineering services faults that come through e-services and other correspondence Immediate Tower Block Call Centre
Answering of all telephone calls All calls within 30 seconds Tower Block Call Centre
Operating hours 24/7/365 Call Centre
Visit to Water and Wastewater treatment plants 7 days Tower Block

Technical


Service / Service Product Service Level Standards Location
General Technical Queries regarding water borne sewerage/water reticulation. 3 days Call Center, All Offices
Process applications for new water connections, meter re-positioning, meter in-situ and new meter tests. 5 days Tower Block 5th Floor
Process applications for fire hydrant relocations. 14 days Tower Block 5th Floor
Inspect plumbing of commercial and industrial customers for compliance for normal fire fighting standards. 5 days City Centre Main Water workshops
Investigate general, domestic customer complaints/queries related to water supply. 48 hours All Offices
Investigate and resolve water ponding on private property and water pressure complaints. 48 hours Call centre All Offices
Process and conduct pressure and flow tests. 7 days All Offices
Inspection of Properties to location nearest Water Main, check for lot numbers, and boundary pegs in order to facilitate new water connections. 96 hours All Offices
Install domestic water connections < 20mm to individual consumer’s multi – dwelling units and housing projects. 14 days All Offices
Install large domestic, commercial, individual water connections >20mm including fire connection. 14 days All Offices
Read all consumers (domestic & commercial) and reservoir water meters in the Bulawayo Municipality. Monthly Meter Reading Department
Revenue Hall
Carry out field investigations/check readings where required. Monthly Meter Reading Department
Revenue Hall
Estimated readings when unable to read. Monthly Meter Reading Department
Revenue Hall
Maintenance of water meters and chambers 96 hours All Offices
Tracing of leaks related to water meters. 96 hours All Offices
Location of buried water meters. 5 Days All Offices
Raising and re-sitting of water meters 5 Days All Offices
Change of faulty meters. 14 days All Offices
Water sampling –: If there is a water complaint sampling is done within 8 hours and report would be ready in 5 days time. 8 hours Criterion Laboratory, Burnside Rd.
Supplying developers, consultants, short and long term planning, details for Water and Sanitation Services. 7 days maximum Tower Block
Supplying the public with details of existing Water and Sanitation services / structures / drawings and records. Immediate and in some instances up to one week. Tower Block
Supplying Customers with GIS information, aerial photographs, maps, survey details, backlog, and other statistics 7 Days at request and at Council tariff. Tower Block
Sample testing, eg. Ground Water contamination, drinking water quality, stream water quality. 5 working days Criterion Laboratory, Burnside Rd.
Environmental Impacts Assessments – Water and sanitation comments submitted. 30 days Tower Block
Tanker Clearance – (Septic tanks emptying) 2 – 5 Days Roads Yard
Conduct standard 2 or 3 times yearly inspection to ensure compliance with sewerage disposal bylaws, National Building Regulations and other environmental legislation. Quarterly Criterion Laboratory, Burnside Rd.
Submit an inspection report, notice or letter to industry within one week of inspection. 1 Week Criterion Laboratory, Burnside Rd.
Ensure all relevant legislation and Department Policy are communicated to industry. As required Criterion Laboratory, Burnside Rd.
Prepare Press Release for Head/Deputy Head approval on spill or pollution incidents. 2 Days Criterion Laboratory, Burnside Rd.
Give developers and consultant’s information required such as pressure zones, flow rates, bulk supplies. 1 week Tower Block
Delivery of potable water to customers in areas where water supply has been interrupted. 12 Hours Roads Yard
Delivery of potable water to customers in areas where water supply has been interrupted. 12 Hours Roads Yard
Delivery of Water Bowser to residential areas where water supply is intermittent. 12 Hours Roads Yard
Backfilling of trenches/excavations/ in road ways and on verges due to emergency work 2-3 Day City Centre Main Work shops
Waste Water Tank Services: Conservancy/Septic tank emptying, unprogrammed. 2-3 Days Roads Yard
Physical Waste Water connection Installations 14 Days Roads Yard
Inspection of new Waste Water Installation 2 Days Housing offices
Approval/referral of building plans with respect to sewerage disposal. 3 Days from the time of sign in to the department from the building inspectors Tower Block
Attendance to sewer overflows/blockages/smells/damage 8 Hours for critical cases
48 hours for non-critical cases
Workshops
Attendance to Private Blockages on private property 2-3 Days Work shops

Water and Waste Water Works


Service / Service Product Service Level Standards Location
Drinking water treatment quality Standards Association of Zimbabwe(SAZ), Standard 560:1997 Call Center, Criterion Lab
Tower Block
Waste water treatment quality Statutory Instrument 6 of 2007, Environmental Management Association (EMA) Call Center, Criterion Lab
Tower Block
Emergency response time to site 4 Hours Call Center, Criterion Lab
Tower Block
Non-emergency response time to sit 24 Hours Call Center, Criterion Lab
Tower Block
SITE MENU
  • Call Centre Contacts:
  • (09) 71290 - All Networks
  • callcentre@citybyo.co.zw
  • Fire and Ambulance:
  • 993, 994 , (09) 71717
  • 08080081 - Econ toll free