Mozambique’s capital Maputo will only get piped water every other day from this week, as authorities battle worsening drought-induced shortages.
Heavily-populated Matola, which lies to the west of the capital, will also only get water every other day as will the district of Boane, according to Maputo’s regional water company AdeM.
The company says the tight new regulations, which kicked in on Tuesday, have been forced on them as a result of a two-year drought.
Water levels in the Umbeluzi River and Maputo’s main dam are understood to be very low although heavy rains have been recorded in parts of southern Mozambique in recent weeks. AdeM said it was giving “absolute” priority to water needed for human consumption.
National news agency AIM said the water restrictions were “drastic” but suggested that residents in newer suburbs of Maputo would be less affected because many already use roof tanks to store water.
Harare, the capital of neighbouring (and also water-short) Zimbabwe is in the grip of a localised typhoid outbreak that has killed two people. Typhoid can be spread by people drinking untreated water.
