Schools to the rescue in Masvingo’s water woes

by SUKUOLUHLE NDLOVU
MASVINGO, (CAJ News) – SCHOOLS in Masvingo have offered residents access to water from their boreholes in the wake of the city council’s struggles to supply the precious liquid.

Mayor Collen Maboke welcomed the development, which could alleviate the challenges resulting from the increasing population outpacing the available water resources.

The council approached a number of schools to intervene, and the response has been positive.

Nasvingo Christian High, Mucheke High and Runyararo Primary Schools agreed to allow residents to fetch water from 9am to 11am daily.

Non-council schools have also pledged to assist.

“We know some of the schools have boreholes,” Maboke said.

Don Bosco Primary also agreed to allow residents access to water from 6am to 8am.

Helen MacGhie Primary and Ndarama High Schools said they would advise the council later on their decisions.

The mayor lamented the limited access to water in Masvingo.

“The water supply in our city is continuously deteriorating each day mainly as a result of intermittent power supply to Bushmead Waterworks affecting treatment and pumping of water and also the high water demand as a result of the increasing population and high temperatures.”

The mayor argued the problem was not peculiar to Masvingo.

Urban councils are battling to consistently supply water, much to the sporadic outbreak of such diseases as cholera and typhoid.

– CAJ News