The ManicaPost
Rumbidzayi Zinyuke recently in Birchenough
VILLAGERS in Birchenough have expressed concern over the depleted level of water in Save River, which they say will leave them vulnerable before the onset of rainfall season.
Levels in the river have significantly declined in the five months after Cyclone Idai induced rains raised them to their highest since 1980.
Speaking to The Manica Post last week, villagers said they had expected the water levels to be high considering the amount of rainfall the area received during the cyclone period.
Ms Precious Matsanhura from Nyunga-Mugari Village said the low water level was worrying as villagers would be struggling to get water by November.
“The river usually has water until November or early December when it starts dwindling but then we expect rains to start around that time so we would be covered. This year is different however, because water levels have gone so low and due to changes in rainfall patterns, we might not receive any meaningful rains this year,” she said.
Villagers are also worried about their livestock which they said would be affected if the water continues to go down.
Ms Nyasha Charamba, a village health worker from Maunganidze Village A, said the water authorities were already struggling to pump water to supply nearby areas hence people were now getting their water straight from the river.
“We are not getting water from the taps anymore. Although we understand that the long load shedding hours are partly to blame, we also believe that there is not enough water to pump from the river. This means almost everyone is getting their water directly from the river which is not usually clean. Some have resorted to digging up holes (mufuku) in the river banks — where they can get clean water for household use,” she said.
She said this could eventually lead to disease outbreaks as the water which flows in the river is used for different purposes.
The Manica Post team witnessed several villagers doing laundry while others were bathing and others were fishing downstream.
Asked whether villagers were not worried about crocodile attacks, Gogo Sithole said the low water levels meant they could easily see if a crocodile approaches, and besides, there had not been a single attack in months.
“As you can see, people are going about their business as usual without worrying about crocodiles. The water is too low and it is clear, so we don’t expect to see any crocodiles. We desperately need the water and we will continue coming here, but I guess we just have to be careful,” she said.
She said most boreholes were also running dry hence the increase in people getting water from the river source.
The problem is not only restricted to areas surrounding Birchenough, water levels in Chipinge South and Musikavanhu constituencies have significantly dropped, causing water shortages. Chipinge South legislator Honourable Enoch Porusingazi said most areas were now in dire need of water.
“The water table has gone too low to the extent that some boreholes are drying up. We can only expect rains to start in November or even December but that is too far, we will face serious challenges in terms of water supply by then,” he lamented.
