Residents resort to swamps for water

BULAWAYO is sitting on a health time bomb as the city’s water woes continue to mount, with most suburbs going for weeks without running tap water, forcing residents to resort to unhygienic water sources in swampy areas and open defecation.

The latest development comes at a time when the city is grappling with a serious water crisis, which has seen the Bulawayo City Council (BCC) introducing a 120-hour water-shedding schedule.

Some high-lying areas in Pumula have gone for weeks without water, forcing residents to resort to unhygienic water sources and using bush toilets to relieve themselves.

A Chronicle news crew yesterday visited selected suburbs in the western areas and observed long winding queues for water at boreholes, bowser spots and unconventional wells.

In Pumula East, some residents fetched water from unhygienic water sources dotted in swampy areas. Some women were spotted washing clothes using the water from holes that they had dug around the smelly swamps.

“I come here thrice a week to do my laundry because there is no water coming out of taps. Boreholes have long queues including at areas where council water bowsers supply people with water,” said Mrs Rebecca Ndlovu.

“People come with their laundry here and they fetch water for flushing toilets. However, you have some people using the bush toilet to relieve themselves, creating a health hazard.”

Mrs Ndlovu said they are forced to walk from Pumula East to White City stadium to fetch water.

“Sometimes we team up and hire cars and they charge us US$12 to carry water from White City to our homes. In some cases, we fetch water at night to avoid long queues risking being mugged and robbed,” she said.

Residents said due to the prevailing water crisis, they were forced to utilise the water holes in nearby bushy areas.

“Our taps have been dry since last week and it appears the council is no longer following the water shedding schedule. We have now resorted to these fountains although the water is not hygienic,” said Mrs Benhilda Majojo

Ms Nobuhle Nyathi of Pelandaba West said the prevailing water crisis is a ticking health time bomb. She said they are now forced to resort to bush toilets to save the little available water secured from water bowsers or communal boreholes.

“Since we travel long distances to fetch water, we use it sparingly with flushing toilets being the last thing, which is why we resort to open defecation,” she said.

“It is only a matter of time before there is an outbreak of water-borne diseases. We are now using the bush to relieve ourselves and I can only imagine what will happen when the rains come and wash away all this waste.”

Mr Bestley Ndlovu of Magwegwe North said washing hands regularly is now difficult due to the unavailability of running water in most suburbs.

In a statement yesterday, BCC town clerk, Mr Christopher Dube announced the local authority’s provisional water supply restoration strategy after repairing three critical leaks along its bulk pipeline from Ncema to the city.

As part of an effort to mitigate the water challenges, BCC announced that it is considering tapping into aquifers in Nkulumane and Nketa suburbs, as well as Hope Fountain on the outskirts of the city.

A feasibility study is already underway to determine the viability of the suburban water aquifer option, among other short-to-medium-term options.

Nkulumane, Nketa and Hope Fountain are considered to have huge underground water reserves and the council is conducting investigations to ascertain the sustainability of tapping into these resources.

The council has already secured US$310 000 to explore this project.