By Sukuoluhle Ndlovu
Masvingo – Residents in the City of Masvingo have resorted to rainwater as their source of water for them to use due to the lack of water in the City.
Continued power cuts at the Bushmead waterworks have affected the pumping of water at the station leading to a lack of water for the residents.
The coming of the rainy season has been a blessing to the residents who are seen taking their buckets out and filling them up and no longer have to go to boreholes to fetch water.
Talk to residents in the different wards in the City showed how the rain has been a relief for them.
Tendai Ngorima, who stays in ward 5, said that doing laundry was her greatest challenge.
“Rainy season is upon us and l could not do all of my laundries because there was no water, having to queue for long at the boreholes was straining me a lot. So now l have resorted to rainwater for use, rainwater is a clean source of water so why should l have to go to the borehole for water and delay my day to day running,” said Ngorima.
Thembelihle Sibanda, a student at Great Zimbabwe University (GZU) also said they leave their buckets outside as they go to campus for their studies.
“ Right now we are writing exams; going to fetch water would be strenuous, so l have resorted to rainwater as my water source and it is really helping me but at the same time the City Council should do something and help us,” said Sibanda.
Charlene Mazodze of ward 7 said that they should not be resorting to rainwater as the council should know people need water on a daily basis.
“Why would the ZETDC cut power at Bushmead waterworks, a place that should never have power cuts? How will the operations at Bushmead be carried out if they do so? Rainwater should not be our water source; electricity must not be cut at Bushmead so that the pump continues to pump water for the City. I have no option and l have also resorted to rainwater for use at home but under normal circumstances, this should not be,” said Mazodze.
