Mozambique’s third largest city of Nampula has been experiencing water shortages as a result of falling water levels at the dam on the Monapo River which supplies the city.

This new shortage comes six months after the city was hit by a major crisis in the supply of drinking water.

Authorities say the water levels at the dam are low hence the need to ration supply.

The normal water distribution of 40,000 cubic metres is being reduced to between 30,000 and 31,000 cubic metres.

The Northern Regional Water Administration Director General Carlitos Omar says the supply restrictions will be enforced in three phases.

The first will be in force between July and August, during which between 30,000 and 31,000 cubic metres will be pumped from the dam.

The second will be from September to October, during which water supply will not exceed 25,000 cubic metres.

A putative third phase starts in November and ends in December.

However, the water authorities said, depending on the rainfall, the phases may be reassessed.