Online Reporter
George Maponga in CHIVI
Efforts are underway to restore the US$8 million Chombwe Piped Water Scheme in Chivi District after major conveyancing pipes were swept away by floods last year, leaving nearly 20 000 villagers and thousands of livestock without reliable water supplies for close to a year.
Chivi Rural District Council says plans are in place to repair damaged pumps and pipelines once water levels subside, amid growing concerns over the impact the collapse of the scheme has had on food security, nutrition gardens and livestock production in northern parts of Chivi.
The Chombwe scheme, located in Mhikuro Village under Chief Madyangove, was commissioned by President Mnangagwa in December 2020 and was regarded as a major intervention to improve food security in the drought-prone district.
It was designed to provide running water to schools such as Jenya Primary and Secondary, Makovere Primary and Tambudzai Secondary schools, as well as business centres including Mhiti and Chivi Growth Point.
A 0,5-hectare demonstration plot in Mhikuro also benefited from irrigation water from the scheme, while thousands of livestock had access to drinking water.
The scheme draws water from the Shashe River, a major tributary of the Tugwi River.
Its collapse has disrupted irrigation activities and affected nutrition gardens that previously supplied vegetables and green produce to markets at Mhandamabwe Business Centre and Chivi Growth Point.
Villagers say the loss of water supplies has had devastating consequences for both households and livestock.
“We used to rely on water to irrigate our gardens where we got vegetables and green produce for sale, but since last year, we have not been able to do so after Chombwe taps ran dry.
“Our livestock used to get water from various watering points along the pipeline where we also did our laundry,” said Ms Memory Gudhe of Mhikuro Village.
Ms Mavis Mhosva of Gudhe Village said villagers were now facing serious challenges accessing water for livestock.
“The glorious old days are over; we used to benefit immensely from the Chombwe scheme water. The situation is more precarious for our livestock, which now have to travel long distances to Tugwi River to drink water, leaving them at the mercy of crocodiles.
“Villagers here in Chivi North have lost many cattle to crocodiles in Tugwi River, while some of the animals succumbed to lack of water even before getting to the river,” she said.
The piped water scheme benefitted communities and livestock in wards 5, 7, 8, 11 and 30.
Mbuya Sarah Ngwechere said even the fenced demonstration plot used to produce food for vulnerable families had collapsed because of a lack of water, with the maize crop there already wilted.
Ward 8 Councillor Musa Njini said the collapse of the scheme was caused by flood damage to water conveyance pipes.
“Water has not been running in Chombwe pipes for some time now, and even the storage tanks are hardly filled to meet the demand for water in all the wards that were supposed to get supplies.
“The pipes that supply water were washed away by floods last year and need to be repaired,” said Clr Njini.
He also lamented the high cost of water for villagers.
“The water charges were also too high for villagers and this could be partly the reason why repairs have been delayed.
“But even when villagers were paying, they hardly had any water.”
Chivi North legislator Cde Godfrey Mukungunugwa also called for urgent intervention to restore the scheme.
“The Second Republic did well and opened Chombwe Scheme for us with a view to uplifting our rural communities through boosting agricultural production and access to potable water.
“Chombwe is a model scheme that speaks to Vision 2030 and must never be allowed to fail,” he said.
He said he would engage relevant ministries to help revive the project.
Chivi Rural District Council water officer Mr Douglas Muza said preparations to repair the damaged infrastructure were already underway.
“As council, we are aware of the situation at Chombwe and we intend to restore water supplies once we can repair pumps that were damaged by floods.
“The pipes are currently covered under water, so we cannot wield them. But we hope to be able to do so soon,” added Mr Muza.
Before its collapse, the Chombwe Piped Water Scheme had significantly transformed livelihoods in Chivi North by improving access to potable water, supporting irrigation farming and strengthening household food security.
