By Evans Dakwa
For three months now, most residents of Beitbridge have endured an acute water shortage, with many households completely cut off from municipal water supplies.
Those fortunate enough to access running water receive it only intermittently, averaging once a week. The situation has left the community desperate, with some residents now relying on expensive alternatives, while others face the archaic reality of open defecation due to the lack of water for sanitation.
The crisis has been worsened by the poor quality of borehole water in the area, which is often saline and unfit for drinking. As a result, residents depend on purified water, with few trusting the council’s erratic supply for consumption. For those not connected to the municipal system, survival hinges on purchasing water from private borehole owners or water delivery trucks, with prices ranging between 1 and 4 Rand per litre.
However, the Zimbabwe National Water Authority (ZINWA) has recently been following up on borehole owners and portable water suppliers to obtain licences to sell water. This move has sparked outrage among residents and borehole owners alike. Some owners have responded by cutting off water supplies to desperate residents, while others have vowed to pass the additional licencing costs onto consumers, further burdening an already struggling population.
Residents have expressed fury at the Water Authority, accusing it of being “inhuman.” One resident says, “I don’t even know why they are doing this. In the end, it’s the ordinary person who suffers.” Another added, “It seems authorities are always conspiring against the people. Their little stunt will leave us struggling to get water. The free community boreholes are not enough to service the population.”
A local businesswoman, who spoke on condition of anonymity, highlighted the dire consequences of the crisis. “It’s sad that water is no longer a right. Using the toilet is now a luxury in Beitbridge, and open defecation is now the order of the day,” she said.
The situation raises public health concerns as water is a daily basic need for hygiene need.