Opinion / Columnist
Water shortages strangle Zimbabwean townships
06 Sep 2016 at 12:08hrs | Views
The smelling stench of stale urine, rot and disease pervades the smoke ridden, dust laden air of the Zimbabwean townships. In these dwellings the population is high, the demand for water is soaring,while the precious liquid is fasting dwindling and is in short supply in small cities and townships around the country.
Residents of Southern suburbs of Harare, most high-density locations of Budiriro, Glenview, Highfields, Mbare and Dzivaresekwa are facing rending water shortages. People in these areas are sitting on a time bomb of water borne diseases like cholera, diarrhoea, typhoid and the other and these locations have highest rate of HIV/AIDS patients who require a lot of water for their hygienic up keep. While clinics which should offer treatment and good health service to the locals also go for several days without running water that complicate the situation in health delivery system. Due to water budgeting and rationing by the city councils pupils go to school with unwashed uniforms and they have to spend the whole day without drinking water and without using toilets.
Water is the greatest component of a sound sanitation system and that also impact women and girls during their menstrual cycles. A lot of people in these locations resort to self made wells whose water can not be used for drinking and cooking but instead for washing and flushing ablutions. Such water is always contaminated by bilharzia bacteria . They are few boreholes drilled by UNICEF in 2007- 2008 period, few of these boreholes still exist while many of them have been vandalised by rogue locals that led to a serious water crisis ravaging town communities today.
The major cause of these acute water challenges is related to the previous year and present high temperatures which are beyond the usual ranges. These soaring temperatures which are a clear indication of change in climate patterns have impacted much on the carrying capacity of water bodies that include rivers, lakes, dams, streams, boreholes and water wells . In December 2015 Zimbabwe was ravaged by a heat wave that affected a number of water sources that include the main electricity and water supplier to the Zimbabwean populace,Lake Kariba.
The temperatures during that period soared from 31 to 45 degrees Celsius and the water level of Lake Kariba decreased at a higher rate that further impacted negatively the livelihoods of the people. Lake Mutirikwi and Lake Chivero also were and are affected. We are approaching another summer season under these critical circumstances. and 2016 temperatures have taken an upward spiral mostly during mid morning to evenings with daily maximum temperatures ranging from 33,3 degrees Celsius to 35 degree Celsius in hot and arid regions like Kariba, Hwange, Matebeleland south and Masvingo that is further dwindling the remaining water sources then posing all those challenges that include dehydrations, poor sanitation, unending droughts, loss of livestock, domestic and industrial water crisis further worsening the already critical social and economic situation.
Government through its Cabinet Committee for Agriculture reports that more than 160 000 beasts died in 2015-2016 agricultural season due to acute water shortages and the ELnino induced droughts and that the country require $138 million to supplement for livestock feed and water supply. In accordance to the sub section {1} of section 27 of the civil protection Act, the president of the Republic Zimbabwe on 14 February 2016 declared a State of Drought Disaster following the impact of ElNino induced erratic rainfalls and soaring temperatures.
That state of nation required and require cities and municipalities to bear the brunt of water rationing from the beginning 2016 up to mid 2017. A number of organisations which includes the United Methodist Committee on Relief{UMCOR} and Action Aid have responded and are responding to these climate change induced challenges through WASH, irrigation schemes and water harvesting projects. UMCOR is working in Mashonaland East while Action Aid is advancing assistance and projects in Manicaland. In addition Southern Africa Water Partnership has in 2016 stepped up by setting up Youth Water Networks to develop ways on which community organise methods of sustainable water conservation, harvesting and adaptation to these Elnino induced effects and has brought hope to communities in such dire circumstances. The Water Partnership is also partnering with governments in Southern and East Africa including Zimbabwe in drawing up Water Management Plans as a way of responding to these climate change induced crisis.
Given the above circumstances brought by the impact of Climate change in Zimbabwe and other regions around the world . Zimbabwe need to work with the global climate, energy and water community in advocating for scientific projects that reduce temperatures to reasonable ranges to avert water crisis, droughts, hunger and the negative impact on social, economic and moral lives of the Zimbabwean urban and rural populace.
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Residents of Southern suburbs of Harare, most high-density locations of Budiriro, Glenview, Highfields, Mbare and Dzivaresekwa are facing rending water shortages. People in these areas are sitting on a time bomb of water borne diseases like cholera, diarrhoea, typhoid and the other and these locations have highest rate of HIV/AIDS patients who require a lot of water for their hygienic up keep. While clinics which should offer treatment and good health service to the locals also go for several days without running water that complicate the situation in health delivery system. Due to water budgeting and rationing by the city councils pupils go to school with unwashed uniforms and they have to spend the whole day without drinking water and without using toilets.
Water is the greatest component of a sound sanitation system and that also impact women and girls during their menstrual cycles. A lot of people in these locations resort to self made wells whose water can not be used for drinking and cooking but instead for washing and flushing ablutions. Such water is always contaminated by bilharzia bacteria . They are few boreholes drilled by UNICEF in 2007- 2008 period, few of these boreholes still exist while many of them have been vandalised by rogue locals that led to a serious water crisis ravaging town communities today.
The major cause of these acute water challenges is related to the previous year and present high temperatures which are beyond the usual ranges. These soaring temperatures which are a clear indication of change in climate patterns have impacted much on the carrying capacity of water bodies that include rivers, lakes, dams, streams, boreholes and water wells . In December 2015 Zimbabwe was ravaged by a heat wave that affected a number of water sources that include the main electricity and water supplier to the Zimbabwean populace,Lake Kariba.
The temperatures during that period soared from 31 to 45 degrees Celsius and the water level of Lake Kariba decreased at a higher rate that further impacted negatively the livelihoods of the people. Lake Mutirikwi and Lake Chivero also were and are affected. We are approaching another summer season under these critical circumstances. and 2016 temperatures have taken an upward spiral mostly during mid morning to evenings with daily maximum temperatures ranging from 33,3 degrees Celsius to 35 degree Celsius in hot and arid regions like Kariba, Hwange, Matebeleland south and Masvingo that is further dwindling the remaining water sources then posing all those challenges that include dehydrations, poor sanitation, unending droughts, loss of livestock, domestic and industrial water crisis further worsening the already critical social and economic situation.
Government through its Cabinet Committee for Agriculture reports that more than 160 000 beasts died in 2015-2016 agricultural season due to acute water shortages and the ELnino induced droughts and that the country require $138 million to supplement for livestock feed and water supply. In accordance to the sub section {1} of section 27 of the civil protection Act, the president of the Republic Zimbabwe on 14 February 2016 declared a State of Drought Disaster following the impact of ElNino induced erratic rainfalls and soaring temperatures.
That state of nation required and require cities and municipalities to bear the brunt of water rationing from the beginning 2016 up to mid 2017. A number of organisations which includes the United Methodist Committee on Relief{UMCOR} and Action Aid have responded and are responding to these climate change induced challenges through WASH, irrigation schemes and water harvesting projects. UMCOR is working in Mashonaland East while Action Aid is advancing assistance and projects in Manicaland. In addition Southern Africa Water Partnership has in 2016 stepped up by setting up Youth Water Networks to develop ways on which community organise methods of sustainable water conservation, harvesting and adaptation to these Elnino induced effects and has brought hope to communities in such dire circumstances. The Water Partnership is also partnering with governments in Southern and East Africa including Zimbabwe in drawing up Water Management Plans as a way of responding to these climate change induced crisis.
Given the above circumstances brought by the impact of Climate change in Zimbabwe and other regions around the world . Zimbabwe need to work with the global climate, energy and water community in advocating for scientific projects that reduce temperatures to reasonable ranges to avert water crisis, droughts, hunger and the negative impact on social, economic and moral lives of the Zimbabwean urban and rural populace.
Feedback to girlchildcreativity@gmail.com
www.climatediariesafrica.tumblr.com
Source - Mbizo Chirasha
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