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Patrick Chitumba Midlands Bureau Chief
GOKWE Town Council, which faces acute water challenges exacerbated by the unavailability of power due to load-shedding, has applied to Zesa Holdings for a dedicated line for its boreholes to avert a potential disaster.

Gokwe Town Secretary Ms Melania Mandeya said the town gets its water from the electric run boreholes.

She said the boreholes were not pumping any water because of load shedding, causing acute water shortages in the cotton farming town.

“We have serious water challenges at Gokwe centre,” said Ms Mandeya. “The tapes have run dry and this is because the electric boreholes we rely on are not working because of load shedding, affecting the town. Because we don’t have power, we are failing to pump water, causing the town to run dry.

“So we have applied to Zesa for a dedicated power line so that there is constant power supply for our boreholes to keep on pumping water.”  Ms Mandeya said residents and businesses had been getting water from different sources, some of which not safe.

Businessman Mr Stanslous Manyiwa, who runs Chicago butchery, restaurant and sports bar said because of continuous load shedding being experienced, they had resorted to using generators for power. He said the businesses were also looking at alternative sources of water since they could no longer rely on council. “Load shedding has led to unavailability of water at Gokwe centre and we are appealing to Zesa to give us a dedicated line because we need the water for restaurants and nite spots,” said mr Manyiwa. “Otherwise a health hazard will hit this town very soon.”

Mr Manyiwa said Gokwe was dominated by small scale formal and informal entrepreneurs.

There are less than 30 000 inhabitants in Gokwe town, with four primary schools and four secondary schools.