"We're Likely To Have High Number Of Water-Borne Diseases Outbreak," - Community Water Alliance

Community Water Alliance (CWA) has projected an increased number of water-borne diseases outbreak this year in Harare. This comes after Harare City Council (HCC) announced that it will be providing water to residents at least one day a week. The local authority cites the scarcity of foreign currency to import chemicals and drought that has seen dams drying up.

CWA spokesperson, Hardlife Mudzingwa said that Harare should brace for disaster. He said:

Looking at some of the water levels in high density suburbs, we are expecting a major disease outbreak due to inadequate water supply. We are likely to have high number of water-borne diseases outbreak cases this year because the situation is out of control.

The situation is very bad. I’m getting into the community to assess the situation, the situation has gone out of hand. We have started to receive cases starting with the cholera hotspots in Budiriro and Glenview yet we are still in July. What more in September, October when the dry spell comes.

Mudzingwa added that intermittent water supply by the Council has forced residents to get water from unsafe and condemned water sources.

Availability of potable water has become a recurrent issue for most of the urban local authorities, particularly, Harare, Gweru and Bulawayo.

Water issues in Harare are reportedly worsened by HCC’s poor revenue management. The HCC is said to have misused US$144 million loan facility from the Chinese Import and Export Bank meant for the refurbishment of water and sewer treatment plant.

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