By Clayton Shereni: Masvingo Correspondent
RESIENTS in Masvingo are experiencing water supply shortage after a pump breakdown at the city’s Bushmead Waterworks station over the weekend, forcing the local authority to scale down its pumping capacity.
Most affected areas which have received low water supply are high density areas mostly in Mucheke Suburb.
Yesterday (Monday) the city, however, issued out a statement advising residents that they had experienced a pump problem and they were hoping to have it resolved by Wednesday.
“We are currently pumping at 50% capacity, therefore, areas on high ground have been experiencing low pressure. Efforts to restore the pump are being made, henceforth the situation is expected to improve once we start pumping at 100% capacity and the earliest expected date is Wednesday the 9th of February 2022,” the statement reads.
Residents have, however, expressed dismay over the local authority’s failure to provide adequate water and notify them on time when there are any technical challenges.
Masvingo United Residents and Ratepayers Alliance (MURRA) spokesperson, Godfrey Mtimba expressed disappointment over the scarcity of water in the city and the lack of early notification to residents.
“Residents are worried in some areas where they have spent three days without water. We expect that city council be proactive in issuing statements and notices whenever there are such big challenges, so we say they should be proactive not reactive because they usually react when residents make noise that they have spent many days without water thus when they put out notices. Their duty is to inform us not to be asked by residents what is going on,”Mtimba said.
He also added that: “We also want to call on the city council to respect the dictates of the Service Delivery Charter, we need its full implementation and they should work on challenges and breakdowns within the stipulated timeframes in the charter.”
The Service Delivery Charter which was launched in December last year states that the local authority should provide water for six hours daily in residential areas and 18 hours in the Central Business District.
Masvingo’s water woes come at a time when there is high demand for the precious liquid in the city due to the increasing population which has overwhelmed the water supply system.
Power cuts have also been another factor which has affected water supply and the city is reportedly considering an alternative power source at the water station.
