adminLovemore Zigara Midlands Correspondent
GWERU residents yesterday endured a fourth day without normal water supplies following a failure on one of the power lines which supply electricity to the city’s main water source, Gwenoro Dam.Western suburbs which include Mkoba, Ascot, Mambo, Mtapa and low density suburbs of Lundi Park, Southdowns and Ivene were the most affected.
Eastern suburbs of Ridgemont, Athlone, Riverside and Harben Park including the Central Business District which had been receiving supplies from Whitewaters following the breakdown did not have running water yesterday.
The situation saw some residents with wells at their homes selling water to fellow residents with some charging between R5 and $1 for a 20-litre bucket.
“We’ve no option but to buy the water because we’ve to do laundry and other household chores. And then there’s the toilet which will also need water so you’re left with no option but to buy the water,” said Mavis Chuma of Mkoba 1.
“I’ve been buying the water for household chores in the neighborhood for R5 a bucket while drinking water is going for a $1 for a 20-litre bucket from boreholes at the Chinese chrome industries.”
Some residents took a swipe at the council for not communicating the situation to them.
Residents had a temporary relief on Saturday when rains pounded the city, with some taking the opportunity to harvest the precious commodity from the roof spillage.
Gweru mayor Clr Hamutendi Kombayi said normal water supplies were expected last night.
“These problems have nothing to do with the council but this is a Zesa fault because power infrastructure at Gwenoro has broken down and Zesa is working to restore power supplies,” he said.
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