The Sunday Mail
Sunday Mail Reporter
CHITUNGWIZA residents are increasingly becoming fretful because of the dirty water that is coming out of their taps, which they believe could be harmful.
Zimbabwe recently recorded two cases of cholera in Chegutu.
Cholera cases have also been reported in other Southern African countries this year.
Residents who spoke to The Sunday Mail expressed their disappointment with the Chitungwiza Town Council for its perennial failure to supply potable water.
Mrs Locadia Majoni from Unit N showed The Sunday Mail water from her tap that was green and yellowish.
“I believe this tap water is contaminated with raw sewage,” Mrs Majoni said, pointing at the green and yellowish liquid from her tap.
“My child is ill and I think it’s a water-borne disease due to the situation we are living in. We are living in fear of a cholera outbreak, yet council is doing little to provide us with clean water.”
Zimbabwe National Organisation of Associations and Residents Trust national chairperson Mr Shalvar Chikomba said the water crisis in Chitungwiza needs to be treated as an emergency.
“The situation in Chitungwiza has degenerated into a full-blown crisis. Residents have been exposed to water-borne diseases, in contravention of Section 73 of the Constitution, which guarantees safe, healthy environments, especially at this time, when cholera cases are being recorded,” he said.
Chitungwiza Town Council spokesperson Mr Lovemore Meya confirmed they had received complaints that the water pumped into people’s homes could be contaminated.
“One resident from Unit M reported that there was sewage in his tap water. But upon investigation by our team, we discovered that it was only residue in the pipes.
“We make every effort to provide water to all locations at least once each week. In the long term, we have a Government project at Muda Dam, which, if completed, would offer clean, safe and Sadequate water to our residents,” he said.
