malvernmugadzikwa
Nokuthula Dube
The water crisis in Chitungwiza, which followed the closure of Prince Edward Water Treatment Plant because the supply dams had dried up, has become increasingly dire in recent weeks.
Yet it has always been a crisis long in the making.
For more than 20 years, starting with the period when the opposition took over running the city, Chitungwiza has struggled with water shortages.
“Some areas haven’t had running water in over a decade,” said a local resident, Mr John Magodo.
“People have resorted to digging wells, drilling boreholes or buying water from vendors, often at exorbitant prices.”
He said for a dollar, one can buy only four buckets of water, and families typically need 10 to 12 buckets a day.
“That is about US$3 to US$4 daily just for water. It’s unbearable,” he added.
He said many homes have non-functional toilets as a result of the lack of running water.
“In areas like St Mary’s, some toilets have been closed for 20 years. Every morning, you see people queuing with buckets or pushing scotch carts to fetch water,” he said.
The hardships have only been exacerbated by the recent decommissioning of the Prince Edward Water Treatment Plant, following the depletion of Harava and Seke dams, the plant’s main water sources.
Chitungwiza depends heavily on water from Harare.
City of Harare authorities have cited unpaid debts by their Chitungwiza counterparts for the limited water supplies to the town.
Burden
The burden of the water crisis falls heavily on women, who spend hours on end each day in long queues at boreholes.
“I have been raising my children alone since my husband passed away five years ago,” said Mrs Rudo Mubaiwa, a local vendor.
“The little money I make goes towards buying water.
“There is no time to rest, and we are exposed to danger when fetching water at night.”
She expressed deep concern for children’s safety.
“Thieves and rapists can take advantage of children when they are fetching water at odd hours,” she warned.
Schools have also been affected, with growing fears about potential outbreaks of waterborne diseases as the rainy season approaches.
The crisis has been particularly harsh on the elderly and child-headed families.
“Elderly people without caregivers are dying because they cannot get enough food, water or even a bath,” said Mr Shakes Nyamande.
“Child-headed families, without stable income, struggle to buy water daily. They need donations to survive.”
Crisis meeting
With water access fast deteriorating, pressure is mounting on the Chitungwiza Municipality to address the issue.
An emergency stakeholders meeting convened at Margolis Resort last week called for the Government to declare the water situation in Chitungwiza a State of Disaster.
Stakeholders at the meeting said there was need for Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) to develop bulk water infrastructure for Chitungwiza.
Mr Pardon Nyandoro, investment manager with the Zimbabwe Investment and Development Agency (ZIDA), said there was need to bring investors on board.
“We can attract private partners through a PPP model to address Chitungwiza’s water challenges,” he said.
Ministry of Local Government and Public Works acting director Ms Nyaradzo Tagarira said: “The issue of Chitungwiza is set to be declared a State of Disaster in order to facilitate the coming in of more players on board.
“This will help and lessen the heavy weight on Government as a lot of people will come into play to help and support us during this crisis.”
Chitungwiza director of works Engineer Talent Mashinga acknowledged the severity of the situation.
He said: “Our infrastructure is outdated, leading to water losses through leaks. We need to modernise the water and sewer systems.”
Frustration
Residents are frustrated by years of inaction and broken promises by opposition councillors who are running the town.
Mr John Magodo stressed that the municipality has failed to deliver meaningful solutions.
“We have heard promises about Muda Dam, but nothing has materialised,” he said.
“The council must act now, possibly through partnerships with private companies.”
At a meeting to discuss the situation, stakeholders pushed for the declaration of Chitungwiza’s water crisis as a State of Disaster under the Civil Protection Act.
“This will unlock emergency resources and allow more partners to assist,” said Eng Mashinga.
But for now, the residents of Chitungwiza continue waiting anxiously for action from the council, which seems to be paying a blind eye to the problem.
“We cannot afford to keep on living like this,” said Mr Magodo.
“The municipality and Government must step up, or more lives will be lost. This crisis has gone on for far too long.”
Online Reporter