Chipinge water reticulation improves
Story by Tamuka Charakupa
Residents of Chipinge have expressed satisfaction with the improved water supply in the town after the water reticulation system was upgraded.
The newly installed water system has increased the supply of precious liquid from five mega litres to 15 mega litres per day.
“We have noticed an improvement in terms of water supply. We used to receive water once in a week but now there is a steady supply,” one of the residents told the ZBC News.
Another noted, “We would get rusty water once in a while meaning that supply pipes were dry and rusting but now there is a change.”
“We were forced to fetch water from unsafe water sources which was exposing us to diseases. We couldn’t grow vegetables in our backyards, so we are grateful for the improvement,” another added.
Ablexone Investments construction manager Blessed Kanyemba said, “We are also happy that projects of this magnitude are now being handed over to local companies which are also employing local people.”
The upgrade was part of the US$25 million Cyclone Idai Recovery Fund availed by the African Development Bank (AfDB) and implemented through the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) and Chipinge Town Council.
AfDB Country Director, Ms Moono Mupotola said, “We are very happy that there are now homes where for the first time they are running water. We were also looking at sanitation issues which have been enhanced by the project where we developed massive septic tanks for improved hygiene. We will continue to explore possibilities within the bank especially through our grant to see how we can close the loops.”
“We hope that the entire scope for water supply and sanitation for Chipinge should be done by the end of February, and everything should be finished,” said Acting UNOPS Officer-In-Charge, Mr Clement Mhlanga.
Chipinge Town Council chairperson, Kingstone Dhlumo said,” There are some areas which were not developed or even serviced, there was no water supply there now with this new development we can supply every corner of the town.”
Meanwhile, nine solar-powered boreholes have been installed across the town as part of efforts to improve water provision, with devolution funds contributing a huge chunk in the implementation of the projects.
