Fresh water woes in Masvingo

More than 50 percent of the 24 000 boreholes sunk in Masvingo Province are no longer working as the water tables fall deeper and deeper due to poor rainfall, the Minister of Environment, Water and Climate Change, Oppah Muchinguri Kashiri has said.

The situation is presenting fresh water crisis to a province that has some of the driest regions in the country.

She said the problem is Zimbabwe does not have rigging equipment that can dig deeper into the ground.

Muchinguri said 12 000 of the 24 000 boreholes in the province are not working thereby presenting an unprecedented water crisis for both animals and human beings.

Speaking during a recent visit to Chiredzi  Muchinguri said the drying up of these boreholes is leaving most villagers with serious water challenges.

"The current water situation in Masvingo is not impressive as most boreholes which were drilled by government or its partners have dried up.

From the statistics which we have as a ministry which is responsible for water, 24000 boreholes were drilled in Masvingo province but of these boreholes only half of them, 12000 are still working. That situation which is created by lowering of the water table due to drought is causing serious water shortages to villagers in the province. We don't have rigging equipment which can go deeper that's why we continue to face that problem" said Muchinguri.