Health disaster looms as Gweru runs dry

By Wynne Zanamwe

A humanitarian disaster is looming in Gweru as the city has gone for six days without water.

A pipe burst at the city’s water treatment plant in Lundi Park suburb has been blamed for the situation.

The taps have been dry since Tuesday morning after a Zesa outage and bursting of a pipe in Lundi Park which supplies about five suburbs in the city.

As the city council battled to fix the pipe, another burst pipe occurred at Range Booster treatment plant.

City Engineer Robson Manatsa confirmed that there was a burst pipe at Range Booster treatment plant.

“There was a burst pipe at Range Booster treatment plant and this has forced us to cut water supplies to the entire city.

“As I am speaking right now our fitters and plumbers are working on the problem and hopefully we will be able to resume supplies soon,” he said.

Gweru’s supply dams, Amapongogwe and Gwenhoro are full but residents are likely to face water shortages due to burst pipes.

Council officials have said the pipes are too old and therefore need to be replaced.

Residents said yesterday that in the event of the council failing to address the problem, it will be difficult for schools to open tomorrow.

They said they feared an outbreak of water-borne diseases such as cholera and dysentery.The Chronicle