BUHERA District runs dry… Villagers fork $20 to buy water

A water crisis has hit Buhera district amid revelations that some villagers are paying as much as $20 to access clean water from those that still own wells with water.

The dire situation faced by the villagers has also resulted in those from Ward 14 sharing dirty water with donkeys and cattle from the Mwerahari River.

The same river which is being used for bathing and washing purposes has become highly contaminated and posing serious health hazards for villagers.

Albert Chemhere, who is councillor for Ward 14, revealed that the worst affected villages include Gamanya, Tsvangiwa, Dzoma and Kambeva under Chief Nyashanu.

“Most dip wells have dried up due to the receding water table as you know that we had very low rainfall this past season. Villagers now rely on the river to access water,” Cllr Chemhere said.

On the other hand, Buhera West MP, Saul Nzuma said sinking boreholes in the areas has become difficult because of dropping water tables.

Nzuma however said efforts are being made to find new borehole sites with most villagers having abandoned their broiler chicken projects because of water shortages.

A villager, Devias Sengamai, said the deep boreholes that were sunk by Christian Care dried up two months ago.

“Villagers bath and wash from the same river where they draw water for domestic use. The deep wells sunk by Christian Care have since dried up,” Sengemai said.

According to a report in the Mirror, some villagers are using donkey driven carts to get clean water from Murambinda Growth Point which is 10km away, said Chemhere.

Elizabeth Gamanya a villager from Gamanya Village said villagers from Gamanya and Dzoma villages have one source of clean water and they pay $20 per month to fetch 40 litres of water per day.

“Villagers pay $20 per month in order to fetch clean water from one individual’s borehole and they are only allowed to fetch one 20litre bucket in the morning and one in the evening. Those who can’t afford to pay, use raw water from Mwerahari River,” said Gamanya.

mirror