News / National
Gokwe North district receives piped water, flush toilets
27 Mar 2019 at 11:26hrs | Views
GOKWE North district received its first piped water and flush toilets at Kwaedza Primary School this month.
Speaking to the Daily News Gokwe North Rural District Council (RDC) chairperson Stewart Mbulawa said the development was a first in the district which is battling with water problems.
The development comes as the area has been using blair toilets, open defecation and bush pumps for water and sanitation.
"The toilets have greatly improved our community in that now teachers and children at the school can use the toilets properly. There are also showers which as community leaders feel should be secured from misuse," he said.
He added that the piped water which is sourced from a spring some five kilometres away, has eased some pressures on women who walked long distances for the precious liquid.
The RDC chairperson said now people can access clean and safe water which is being treated by ultra-violet rays from the sun.
"Previously, people got water from shallow wells which were not always secured and clean resulting in some getting diarrhoeal diseases from the untreated water. However, now the source is safe," Mbulawa said.
Caritas Gokwe North mission level secretary Patrick Chikowero said the area has suffered immensely because of a shortage of water and the spring caters for 20 villages.
He said the tapped water system and flush toilets have helped the children mostly as they had to walk two kilometres daily to fetch water to clean the toilets and classrooms.
The community leader also emphasised the need for more schools in the district to have similar facilities.
"While the spring has survived this dry season, we do not know if it will continue providing water until the peak dry season in October. However, even if it does dry up there is another spring two kilometres away which can be an alternative source of water for the piped projects," Chikowero said.
The project which was spearheaded by Caritas Gokwe and the Catholic Agency for overseas Development (Cafod) involved the construction of ablution facilities and washrooms, taps at the school and other sites in different villages and installation of water tanks.
Speaking to the Daily News Gokwe North Rural District Council (RDC) chairperson Stewart Mbulawa said the development was a first in the district which is battling with water problems.
The development comes as the area has been using blair toilets, open defecation and bush pumps for water and sanitation.
"The toilets have greatly improved our community in that now teachers and children at the school can use the toilets properly. There are also showers which as community leaders feel should be secured from misuse," he said.
He added that the piped water which is sourced from a spring some five kilometres away, has eased some pressures on women who walked long distances for the precious liquid.
"Previously, people got water from shallow wells which were not always secured and clean resulting in some getting diarrhoeal diseases from the untreated water. However, now the source is safe," Mbulawa said.
Caritas Gokwe North mission level secretary Patrick Chikowero said the area has suffered immensely because of a shortage of water and the spring caters for 20 villages.
He said the tapped water system and flush toilets have helped the children mostly as they had to walk two kilometres daily to fetch water to clean the toilets and classrooms.
The community leader also emphasised the need for more schools in the district to have similar facilities.
"While the spring has survived this dry season, we do not know if it will continue providing water until the peak dry season in October. However, even if it does dry up there is another spring two kilometres away which can be an alternative source of water for the piped projects," Chikowero said.
The project which was spearheaded by Caritas Gokwe and the Catholic Agency for overseas Development (Cafod) involved the construction of ablution facilities and washrooms, taps at the school and other sites in different villages and installation of water tanks.
Source - dailynews
