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Walter Mswazie Masvingo Correspondent
MASVINGO town has gone for four days without running water triggering fears of a disease outbreak. Long queues at the few boreholes dotted around the town have been a common feature since Monday as residents scrambled for the precious liquid. Residents who spoke to Chronicle yesterday expressed concern over the issue and demanded an explanation from the Mayor, Councilor Hubert Fidze.
“Council does not have residents at heart. A considerate local authority cannot cut water supplies for four consecutive days,” fumed Cecilia Madzura of Rujeko C.
“Water is life and without it, it would practically impossible for us to survive.”
Some residents said they were forced to walk more than five kilometres in search of water with those staying at Rhodene trooping to the civic centre to draw borehole water.
Said another resident:
“Some of us have resorted to using the bush instead of toilets and that is unhealthy. Residents have no choice. Council should understand our plight as ratepayers.”
Innocent Moyo from Mucheke said the situation was terrible in the high density suburb where people have no water to bath.
“Today is Thursday and there is no water. I do not see it coming now. We have been finding it hard to bath and even to cook,” he said.
Residents said council should inform residents prior to the cutting of supplies so that they also make arrangements.
Primrose Chinembiri of Runyararo West said the mayor was supposed to address residents first before discontinuing supplies.
Acting Town Clerk, Lovemore Tanyanyiwa said there were some residential areas without normal water supplies.
“I confirm that there is water shedding. Not all residential areas are affected by this new development,” he said.
Tanyanyiwa said the pumping capacity has been adversely affected by the decreasing levels of water in the main supply dam, Mutirikwi.
He said:
“We were using two water pumps to draw water from Mutirikwi Dam but the levels have since decreased that the other pump is no longer able to withdraw water.”
Tanyanyiwa said the remaining pump draws water at 50 percent capacity and could not meet demand.
He said low lying residential areas like Rujeko continue receiving supplies at the expense of others which are on high ground.
Online Reporter