Pipe burst plunges Makokoba into water crisis

RESIDENTS in eight suburbs in Bulawayo have been plunged into a new water crisis following a pipe burst, which resulted in a big section of Masotsha Ndlovu Road near Amakhosi Cultural Centre caving in.

This incident also affected motorist plying the route between Masotsha Ndlovu and Athlone Avenues as well as Lobengula Street.

Treated water has been gushing out, creating a spectacle that attracted residents to collect the free-flowing water for different domestic uses.

The burst affected Makokoba, Nguboyenja, Mzilikazi, Barbourfields, Richmond, Trenance, Sauerstown and Harrisvale suburbs.
When a Chronicle news crew arrived at the scene yesterday, the affected area, which covers almost half of the road had been cordoned off with traffic cones and boundary tapes.

Residents said the burst was first noticed last week and since then there have not been any water supplies forcing residents to spend hours queuing at boreholes. With the city experiencing 72-hour water shedding, Makokoba residents have expressed concern the situation could trigger water-borne diseases such as cholera.

Mrs Shantelle Siphali said the suburb has gone for a week without running water and that there is only one borehole to sustain them.

"It has been a week without water and the borehole that is supposed to be providing water is overcrowded. It's not able to sufficiently supply all the residents," she said.

Another resident, Ms Gladys Langa said the burst pipe is likely to cause more water-related problems.

"While the suburb is still battling with water issues, the burst pipe is likely to increase health hazards such as having people watering vegetables using sewer water and practising open defecation," she said.

Ms Langa said poor hygiene is also going to cause the outbreak of diseases such as cholera and diarrhoea. "As it is there are a lot of diarrhoea cases on the rise so this water crisis is likely to escalate the situation," she said.

Bulawayo City Council zone manager Mr Tsopo Moyo said the burst was caused by pressure built up in the system due to a high reservoir level at Rifle Range.

"The reservoir had been raised high so that when water is opened every household received water. The bursting of pipes is a common phenomenon in all systems. It's not something out of this world," he said.

"It has since been repaired."