adminSukulwenkosi Dube Plumtree Correspondent
CLINICS and schools in Mangwe have received water harvesting tanks through the Zimbabwe Water and Sanitation (Zimwash) programme in a bid to improve the water situation in the district. Mangwe chief executive officer Mr Nketha Mangoye Dlamini said eight primary schools and seven clinics have received plastic tanks. He said eight other schools would get concrete tanks.
“The programme of putting up water harvesting tanks has benefited primary schools and clinics within the district.
“Eight primary schools received plastic tanks with a capacity of between 50 000 and 80 000 litres each while seven clinics received tanks with a capacity of between 20 000 and 40 000 litres. Eight other schools would get concrete tanks with a holding capacity of 20 000 each,” said Mr Mangoye Dlamini.
He said the programme had gone a long way in addressing the district’s challenge of accessing clean drinking water.
“Institutions have benefited in a great way from this programme. In the education set-up primary pupils are the most vulnerable and that is why the programme focussed on them. It was after the realisation that primary pupils were faced with the burden of bringing their own water from home to school which painted a negative picture of a school environment.
“The provision of health services within our clinics is much better now because of this programme. It has gone a long way in ensuring the provision of safe water. A more clean and hygienic environment is now prevailing within these institutions,” said Mr Mangoye Dlamini.
“The process of extending these water harvesting tanks to communities is ongoing. The setting up of these water tanks within the institutions served as a model, which the community should make use of, for its own benefit.
“We are conscientising community members on the need to harvest rain water on a bigger scale for the benefit of their livelihoods.
“We are urging them to buy tanks so that as many households as possible could have these tanks as our aim as a local authority is to see all community members within the district utilise this method of securing water.”
Mr Mangoye Dlamini said the water harvesting programme would complement the borehole drilling exercise.
Online Reporter