dyton mupawaenda
George Maponga in Masvingo
Communities in Madyangove communal lands in Chivi have started receiving water from the Chombwe piped water scheme, that had been closed amid fears that it had been contaminated by illegal mining activities along Tugwi River.
Chivi RDC was forced to provisionally stop pumping water at Chombwe after the Environmental Management Agency (EMA) red-flagged an unidentified indigenous gold mining company on suspicion of contaminating a weir that supplies piped water to communities, schools and business centres in Madyangove, Chivi North.
The US$8 million water scheme was commissioned by President Mnangagwa in 2020 and is benefiting around 10 000 people in the Madyangove area through potable water supply while also guaranteeing supplies for livestock.
The scheme is also critical to several schools and business centres in the area while most households are also capitalising on the water to irrigate small-holder gardens and fruit trees.
When he launched the project, President Mnangagwa revealed Government’s plans to replicate it in other parts of the country, noting that the water scheme dovetailed with Vision 2030 which aims to make Zimbabwe an upper middle-income economy by 2030.
Chivi RDC chief executive Mr Tariro Matavire yesterday disclosed that water pumping at Chombwe had resumed after a temporary stoppage.
“All those who are connected and are billed for the water they get from Chombwe (scheme) are now getting the commodity again after pumping resumed two days ago (Wednesday). We are happy that pumping has resumed at Chombwe and communities in Madyangove are now getting supplies that also enable them to provide drinking water to their livestock and irrigate their gardens,’’ said Mr Matavire.
“There were fears that the water we were pumping was being contaminated by an illegal miner that was operating upstream along Shashe River so pumping was stopped while awaiting results from samples that were taken for laboratory testing by EMA. Pumping resumed after EMA allayed fears of contamination.’’
Mr Matavire said EMA has also since ordered the mining company in question to cease operations to avoid endangering the lives of people and livestock who consume water from the piped water scheme.
EMA Masvingo provincial manager Mr Milton Muusha confirmed that samples taken from a weir that supplies Chombwe had come out negative of any signs of contamination that endanger human life.
The flagship Chombwe piped water scheme has earned acclaim across Masvingo province and beyond for transforming the lives of the rural populace who, through market gardening, are not only boosting nutrition across the traditionally arid Chivi district but are also boosting disposable incomes through selling vegetable produce.
Chombwe is guaranteed of water supply all year round as it draws its water from Shashe River that feeds of Muzhwi Dam in the northernmost Chivi district.
Online Reporter