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Victor Maphosa Mash East Correspondent
Marondera Municipality is running out of water purification chemicals amid indications that the town is left with only a week supply.

Engineer Christopher Chineka revealed this during a tour of the town’s water supply dam, Rufaro last week.

“We are left with one week supply of chlorine, an essential water purification chemical.

“There is need for funds to acquire these chemicals and currently there is none,” he told the delegation that made the tour and comprised the Minister of State for Mashonaland East Province Apolonia Munzverengi and the provincial Civil Protection Unit (CPU) committee.

“Our water purification plant needs also to be revamped and extended to meet the demand.

“Currently we are unable to meet water demand for Marondera residents and the situation has been like this for a long time,” he said.

He, however, commended the Government for availing funds, which he said will be channelled to water reticulation.

“There are funds which the Government has availed to us, these funds will be used to improve water services. We need to improve the water network and make sure our water is consumable.

“We need to repair our pipes, we also need to improve the sewer system and make sure residents do not drink contaminated water,” he said.

Eng Chineka was responding to a series of questions from the Minister of State for Mashonaland East Provincial Affairs on the efforts by the municipality to supply clean water to the residents in the wake cholera outbreak.

Minister Munzverengi challenged the municipality to work harder and improve service delivery.

She said water was an essential part of life, hence the need to pay close attention to it.

“Water is life, you need as service providers to make sure our water is clean. The mayor and I need to join hands and work hard to see that residents get clean and adequate water on a daily basis,” she said.

She called on the municipality to urgently come up with a detailed proposal on what is needed for the municipality to function and improve service delivery.

She said water-borne diseases like cholera will continue to haunt the people if water continues to be contaminated.

Before her visit to the water purification plant, Minister Munzverengi and the CPU team visited Marondera Provincial Hospital where she took time to visit a cholera patient.

Meanwhile, 17 suspected cholera cases had been reported across the province as of Wednesday this week.

Of the 17 reported cases, five were confirmed to be cholera cases. The minister commended the health staff for working around the clock to save lives.

“I want to commend our health personnel here for working hard and their dedication to contain the outbreak.

“I am told that since the first report of suspected cholera cases in                                              the province, not even a single death has been reported, this is commendable,” she said.