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Distressing trend of water supply problems and the deteriorating service delivery
Zimbabwe Human Rights Association (ZimRights)
October 04, 2012

Over the past few weeks, Zimbabwe Human Rights Association has observed a distressing trend of water supply problems and the deteriorating service delivery around the nation's towns.

Several towns are reportedly facing water supply challenges and a host of other problems emanating from the scarcity of the resource. Karoi and Mhangura are the most affected as people in these towns are said to have since resorted to the bush. As for Karoi, resting parks are said to have been turned into toilets. Council employees are said to be on a strike in protest against overdue salaries. Mhangura seems to have faced problems of the same magnitude as residents have resorted to vandalising water pipes and illegal connections. The corrosive condition of the pipes on which the illegal connections is said to be a hazard to humans. The means is however, no longer working as the Round Table Dam that the council relied on has dried up. Plans are to turn to Alpha dam. In both instances, the management is said to be blaming ratepayers for non-payment of service deliveries while residents say they do not have an obligation to pay for services that only appear on paper.

The Daily News dated 04 October carries an almost similar issue in which the civil society is said to have engaged the Prime Minister over water scarcity in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe' s second largest city. Last month, city fathers in Bulawayo embarked on a "Big Flush" campaign in which residents were encouraged to flash their toilets simultaneously (at given intervals) to enable the draining of waste that could have clogged in the water pipes.

Western suburbs of Harare on the other hand learnt through the Herald newspaper that they will go up to the weekend without water due to a burst of the main supply pipe.

These reports are a cause for concern and need urgent intervention. The government must take action or the country risks recurrence of such diseases as typhoid and cholera that robbed the lives of many in previous years. People cannot experience shortages of fundamental resources such as water while the government expends in luxurious top of the range vehicles for cabinet ministers. People have the right to water and sanitation and it is the duty of the government and responsible authorities to ensure that people enjoy.

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