Govt working on Chingwizi pipeline Dr Shamu

George Maponga Masvingo Bureau
Government will engage Zimbabwe Bio Energy (ZBE) to work out modalities of constructing a pipeline that will ease crippling water shortages that are afflicting nearly 3 000 Tugwi-Mukosi flood victims at Nuanetsi Ranch in Mwenezi.

The families were relocated from the flooded Tugwi-Mukosi basin four years ago and allocated permanent plots at Nuanetsi where they are grappling with severe water shortages owing to extreme aridity in the area.

Some of the families have been sourcing water from nearby sugarcane irrigation canals raising the spectre of waterborne diseases such as cholera.

Plans were afoot to supply water to the Nuanetsi families from the idle water purification plant at Chingwizi that was commissioned in 2014.

Masvingo provincial medical director Dr Amadeus Shamu said they would soon engage ZBE and other stakeholders over plans to build a new pipeline to ease water woes at Nuanetsi.

ZBE owns the Nuanetsi Ranch where the private company operates thriving wildlife, livestock and crocodile businesses.

“We will soon be meeting with other stakeholders to find a lasting solution to water problems at Chingwizi and in particular we will soon be engaging with ZBE to see how best we can build the water pipeline to supply relocated families at Nuanetsi with water,” said Dr Shamu.

“In the next couple of weeks, we expect to have covered some ground because we want our people to have improved access to water.”

A 95 cubic metres water purification tank and attendant pumping infrastructure is lying idle at Chingwizi.

The tank, which can purify water pumped from the nearby Runde River, was built at a cost of $100 000 by Batanai HIV Services Organisation (Bhaso) and Oxfam to provide clean water to Tugwi-Mukosi flood victims.

You Might Also Like

Comments

Take our Survey

We value your opinion! Take a moment to complete our survey