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Senior Reporter
LUPANE town has since January been facing erratic water supplies with residents yesterday saying they were fed up with the Zimbabwe National Water Authority (Zinwa)’s failure to fix the problem. Lupane draws its water from two main supply boreholes, which are constantly breaking down.
Disgruntled residents, who phoned Chronicle, accused Zinwa of demanding payment for a poor service.
“As residents we are tired of Zinwa and we cannot endure this treatment any longer. We have not been getting adequate water since January and no one seems to care,” fumed a resident who preferred anonymity.
“At one point we get water for two days and the next week it is not there. What kind of a life is that?”
Another resident who is a civil servant said Government workers were unable to go to work on time as they have to fetch water from boreholes in neighbouring communities first.
“Zinwa has become a liability and we are fed up with them. They demand payment every month in return for this disgrace. Many civil servants now cannot go to work on time as they have to wake up early in the morning searching for water. This is what repels professionals from the town,” said the irate resident.
Another resident who identified himself as Mr Siziba said Zinwa officials were arrogant and accused them of not taking their work seriously.
“The only thing they are good at is cutting supplies from us. When you make a report no one cares and we feel they are doing this deliberately. This is indirect torture,” said Mr Siziba.
Residents association chairman Mr Christopher Mazibisa said the situation was unbearable and warned of the possibility of an outbreak of cholera.
“The situation has been like that since the beginning of the year. Zinwa boreholes are always breaking down and I feel the long term solution is Bubi-Lupane Dam because the boreholes cannot sustain the growing population of the town.
“As we speak there is no water and for the past months residents are using buckets to fetch water. With the way things are like the town might suffer from an outbreak of cholera.”
Lupane district administrator Mr Christopher Chuma concurred saying: “We have been talking about that problem for a long time.”
Gwayi Catchment manager, Mr Fortune Musoni, which covers Lupane, could not be reached on his mobile phone for comment.
However, Mr Musoni is on record saying the lasting solution to Lupane water woes was the pumping of water from Bubi-Lupane Dam, whose treatment works is still under construction.
Lupane is the provincial capital for Matabeleland North and analysts have said adequate provision of water was key in attracting investment and facilitating the growth of the town.
Online Reporter