Health crisis looms as Gweru water taps go dry
By Dumisani Ndlovu
Residents in Gweru have gone for two weeks without running water after Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission and Distribution Company (ZETDC) cut power supplies at Gweru City Council’s water treatment plants over an alleged non-payment of undisclosed millions of United States dollars.
Early last year suspended town clerk Vakai Chikwekwe confirmed that the council owed Zesa about $247 million and that they were working on a payment plan.
The resident, who expressed grave concern to Kwedu News over the weekend, said they feared contracting waterborne diseases such as typhoid and cholera.
Some said although they were serviced by tap water from boreholes drilled by the Welt Hunger Hilfe (WHH) in the 2020 some of the borehole are dysfunctional and at some boreholes like Mambo and Ascot water is sold.
“Water problems is a headache for the residents as women travel over a kilometres to fetch the precious liquid from Mambo water Kiosk which is charged per bucket,” said Kudakwashe Shangwa from Ascot infill.
“Here we have gone up to two weeks without water, we don’t expect a government complex to run dry. Imagine all those offices for different ministries, with over 100 officials operating without water. This is a ticking health time bomb,” said Mary Muzamo.
We appeal to government to solve this water problem,” Muzamo added.
Assistance District Development Coordinator (DDC), Tarisai Mudadigwa who equally expressed concern said “While it is common knowledge that the council is faced with perennial water shortage, the situation is further worsened by massive power cuts being experienced”
The DDC said they will on Monday meet with ZESA to map the way forward. He however dismissed the issue of council having been cut off because of failure to pay the credit.
In a Press Statement, dated Monday 20 March 2023, Gweru City Council Acting Town Clerk Mr Livingston Churu admitted that the local authority has been experiencing severe load shedding at Gwenhoro Pump Station and at the Range Booster.
“This has resulted in a suppressed pumping regime leading to erratic water supply across the entire city. The problem is likely to persist until the power situation at our water mains improves”.
“We therefore implore our valued stakeholders to use water sparingly so that we build pressure to reach high lying areas,” read the press statement.
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