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Fungai Lupande Mashonaland Central Bureau
Five more villages in Mount Darwin East now have water from the tap, thanks to Chawanda Piped Water Scheme which gives them access to clean, safe drinking water and reducing diarrhoeal diseases in the constituency.
The solar-powered 3kW pumps and six 10 000 litre water tanks, have brought relief to the community that relied on water from shallow pits along river banks.
Women and young girls who walked for 5km in search of water are also relieved.
The Chawanda water scheme is the sixth in Mt Darwin East and 11 wards have now entered the convenience of modern water supplies with only five wards outstanding, as the Government forges ahead with improving access to potable water countrywide.
Minister of State for Presidential Affairs and Monitoring the Implementation of Government Programmes, Dr Joram Gumbo, toured the water scheme on Thursday.
He said the Government’s strategy was to increase access to potable water from 77,3 percent to at least 90 percent by 2025.
“Government institutions like the Zimbabwe National Water Authority and the District Development Fund have been mandated to provide and maintain infrastructure that support the delivery of potable water,” said Minister Gumbo.
“The Government has also embarked on initiatives to construct more dams, drilling and rehabilitation of boreholes as well as establishing piped water schemes. I am pleased that access to clean water will drastically reduce the prevalence of water-borne diseases in this district. Protect this infrastructure against vandalism.”
Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution Senator Monica Mavhunga appreciated the development being implemented in the province by the Government.
“Provision of water is very important in the development agenda. Water is a key enabler to economic activities that empower our local communities,” she said. “We want such projects to be taken to every corner of the province to improve the livelihoods of our people.”
The chairperson of the scheme, Mrs Muchaneta Chiungano, said the water was also being supplied to Chiwanda Primary School and Chiwanda Secondary School and the clinic.
She thanked the Government for not leaving rural communities behind in the supply of potable water.
“This area was burdened by diarrhoeal diseases as we relied on water from shallow pits along river banks due to long distances to water points,” she said. “The 630 households benefiting from the scheme contribute a dollar each month and we have bought a cow and four goats as a fund to maintain the scheme.
The villages are using the water only for drinking so that more families can benefit and the pump will not be grossly overworked. At the moment the vegetable gardens are not being irrigated. Mt Darwin East legislator Cde Norman Marikisi said Chawanda was the sixth piped water scheme in the constituency since last year. Bveke, Chizeza, Bungwe, Nyamarodza, Kamutsenzere, Kaitano villages now have access to tap water.
He appealed for the tarring of Mudzengerere-Karanda Road, which leads to Karanda Mission Hospital.
Online Reporter