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Elizabeth Andreya Features Writer

Harare has over the years experienced serious water shortages resulting in some residents selling water to those who do not have access to boreholes.

In various parts of the capital water shortages have become an opportunity to make money.

Some enterprising people fetch water from unprotected sources putting the lives of desperate residents at risk of water-borne diseases.

In Harare South, parts of Amsterdam near Granville cemetery and Stoneridge Park, trucks move around selling a bucket of water at $3 and residents are left with no option but to buy the water.

The same applies to Harare’s dormitory town of Chitungwiza which has also been facing serious water shortages.

People in the area usually use such water for bathing and laundry as they do not trust its potability.

However, some residents are left with no option but to drink and cook using the unsafe water in the absence of altrenative sources in the area.

Water queues in areas where boreholes have been drilled are usually long making fetching water a time-consuming and cumbersome process.

As a result, some enterprising people fetch water in the dead of night and sell it the following day at high prices to those who cannot afford to spend time in long queues.

A fact sheet released by Zimbabwe Peace Project (ZPP) notes that in Epworth constituency, Ward 2, there were reports of three men who have taken over  borehole and are forcing residents to purchase two buckets of water at $1,50.

There are also unconfirmed reports of men asking for sexual favours from women in return for easy access to water at boreholes in the area. Faced with these challenges more people are at risk of water-borne diseases as they end up consuming water from dubious sources.

The responsible authorities should drill more boreholes in affected areas. Where they cannot do such, council should provide palatable water in bowsers.

This can reduce the risk of water-borne diseases.

There should also be laws governing community boreholes to avoid selfish individuals from turning  public  water sources into personal properties so that everyone can benefit from them.

Timetables for fetching water from boreholes can also be introduced.

To reduce the risks of water-borne diseases, people who supply water in residential areas should be registered and verification of where they are fetching water should be conducted by city authorities.

More so, most of the people who are affected live in new suburbs which do not have water and sewer infrastructure.

Property developers should be answerable for any issues affecting people they sold land to.

It is the right of every individual to get clean water and sanitation.

Harare City Council should extend water pipelines to all regularised areas so that everyone in the capital has access to clean water.

Safe and clean drinking water and sanitation remains a human right essential for the full enjoyment of the right to life.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), universal access to safe drinking water and adequate sanitation and hygiene can reduce the global disease burden by 10 percent.