Kimberly Kusauka
Masvingo City Council (MCC) has decommissioned the Hillside borehole after water tests found out that the water was contaminated, which the city fathers felt posed a ticking health bomb to residents.
Masvingo Acting Chief Environmental Officer Ngonidzashe Mapamula said when such a case is reported the Ministry of Health and Child Care (MoHCC) together with the city’s Engineering department take measures and samples to determine whether the water is clean and safe as well as ensuring that the problem is rectified.
“Hillside borehole is a project that we did with Christian Care, but if you move a short distance you see another borehole which we decommissioned because it was consistently producing samples showing that the water was not safe for human consumption.
“As for the remaining and functioning borehole we took samples together with the Engineering department and from the tests that we recently did, results showed that the water is safe for human consumption,” said Mapamula.
He said there are other plans to address water supply problems that will be done in due process.
“There are other things that need to be done in the near future but it needs the Town Clerk and the Engineer to comment on that, but in terms of health all that I have said is what takes place nationally not only in Masvingo,” said Mapamula.
Continuous power supply problems have also been one of the major contributors to the city’s water problems as the power outages have been blamed for the inconsistent pumping processes at Bushmead Water Works.
In June council said they were going to install an alternative (solar) power source at Bushmead Water Works, a project that is still in the pipeline.
Masvingo has been experiencing perennial water challenges in recent years due to the ever-growing population which is way above its pumping capacity and as of now they have resorted to water rationing.
The city has also witnessed the creation and expansion of suburbs which has come as a burden to the local authority as it struggles to cope with service delivery demands especially refuse collection and liquid waste management.
Sewer reticulation has also been a headache for the city fathers while the delayed Mucheke Trunk Sewer project is in progress and expected to be in operation by 2023.
