WATER POLITICS

Zimbabwe’s second biggest city of Bulawayo plans to extend water cuts to almost 5 1/2 days a week after closing a third of its six supply reservoirs amid the worst drought in 40 years.

The increase in restrictions to 130 hours a week from 120 will start on Wednesday, Sikhangele Zhou, the acting town clerk, said in a statement on Tuesday. It will affect all residential areas while industry and the central business district will have less stringent rationing.

The city of 700,000 people has been battling acute water shortages for years, worsened by the impact of last season’s drought, which was caused by the El Nino weather phenomenon. Seasonal rains are expected to start next month.