BY NOKUTHABA DLAMIMI
Some suburbs in Hwange town will be without running water for two days, beginning Wednesday, as pumps at the Deka raw water pumping site will be undergoing major repairs, the local authority has announced.
Chibondo, Boabab and Empumalanga suburbs will be affected by the 48-hour water cuts, the Hwange Local Board said in a statement.
“Hwange Local Board would like to advise residents in Chibondo, Baobab and Empumalanga to store water as there will be disruptions in supplies for 48 hours as from (Wednesday) morning due to major repairs being carried out at the Deka pump station,” the local authority said on Twitter.
Some parts of Hwange town such as Ngumija Township have been without running water for more than a decade.
Ngumija residents are forced to fetch water from unprotected sources or even from communal toilets.
This is despite the fact that the town in Matabeleland North is just a few kilometres from the mighty Zambezi River.
Even closer to the Zambezi River, Victoria Falls residents will also be without running water on Wednesday as the city council is installing new pumps at its water plant.
The city also has areas such as Mfelandawonye and Garikai that face perennial water shortages.
Residents say the disruptions put a strain on women and children who have to walk several kilometres to access the water.