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STAFF WRITER
THE government should deal with the sapping water crisis in Bulawayo as it is compounding the hardships women face daily, a women’s civic organisation has said.
Women’s Coalition of Zimbabwe (WCOZ), in a statement, said women were at mercy of diseases as they were forced to collect water from unsafe sources.
“Our monitoring continues to reveal that the dire situation on water shortages has continued to hit women hard as they are forced to access the water from unsafe sources, exposing them to untold health hazards, including Covid-19,” said WCOZ.
“Our networks throughout the country, especially in Bulawayo have reported a lack of sustainable means to access water, due to rationing schemes by Council. While in April, the High Court of Zimbabwe made a ruling on ensuring access to water by residents, there has been little compliance with the judgment. While initiatives such as water bowser delivery only provide temporary relief, such measures are not the panacea to the problem as they are unsustainable in the long run.”
The organisation implored authorities to expedite their efforts to deal with the water crisis.
“We urge the critical need for the rapid escalation of medium- and long-term water solutions as part of the COVID-19 response actions,” reads the statement.
Bulawayo residents are forced to endure a debilitating 144-hour-water-shedding schedule per week as supply dams water levels have dwindled.
