The ManicaPost
Luthando Mapepa Chipinge Correspondent
SOME parts of Chipinge suburbs have gone for close to five days without receiving water supplies after Chipinge Town Council embarked on water rationing. A check by The Manica Post showed that many residents in Gaza high-density were seeking
alternative water supplies with some of them being a health hazard.
Long winding queues at a few boreholes in the town were the order of the day.
A council official who declined to be named said Bangazani Dam which is the only dam supplying Chipinge Town is drying up.
The source said Chipinge was likely to face perennial water shortages as the dam is being affected by siltation.
“The council has embarked on water rationing because our main source of water is 40 percent full and this is attributed to low rainfall received last season. We will continue to face more shortages if rains are delayed. Our submissive boreholes cannot supply enough water to residents.
“The dam is fast losing its capacity to supply water annually because of siltation caused by people who are illegally settling on the banks of the dam. I think our superiors should take action before the situation turn nasty because more illegal settlers are relocating there,” said the source.
Efforts to get a comment from Chipinge Town Council chairperson, Councillor Lovemore Huni were unsuccessful as his cellphone was not being answered at the time of going to Press.
Interviewed residents expressed dismay over water shortages that have hit their town.
Mr Simon Makotore of Gaza high-density suburb said the council was biased when rationing water.
“Is it water rationing when water go for four to five days in some areas when others are receiving it every day? Council should come clean on this because if the situation is not urgently attended to we risk contracting water borne diseases,” he said.
Another resident, Miss Edwin Ngorima, called for fair distribution of water in all residential areas.
“Some residents religiously pay rates and council should give them value for their money,” he said.
Chipinge Town Council is in the process of installing pre-paid water meters, a move aiming at saving water.
