Chivi folk thrown lifeline

HUNDREDS of families in droughtprone Chivi District will soon have improved access to potable water as the local authority is spearheading revival of the Chombwe piped water project that will also benefit over 10 schools.

The project will be done in partnership with two local traditional leaders, Chiefs Madyangove and Chivi, together with headmasters of various schools.

Chombwe piped water project collapsed around 2004 owing to vandalism of pipes that used to supply water to schools and homesteads along a belt from Mhandamabwe Business Centre to Chivi Growth Point to the south.

Chivi Rural District Council chair, Councillor Godfrey Mukungunugwa, on Tuesday said the revival of Chombwe piped water project was a top priority.

He said the revival of the mothballed project will ease water shortages in the district.

“Council has partnered Chiefs Madyangove and Chivi together with communities drawn from wards 7,8,9,11,12 and 30 and more than 10 schools to revive the piped water scheme in a development that will go a long way in improving access to portable water,” said Clr Mukungunugwa.

“Upon revival, some homes and schools along the Chombwe belt that stretch from Mhandamabwe to Chivi Growth point will have piped water by their doorsteps and we are really excited about prospects of this project.”

Clr Mukungunugwa said they were working with the Zimbabwe National Water Authority (Zinwa) to make sure revival of the water project was expedited.

The schools that will benefit from the project are Denga, Vuravhi, Nyevedzanai, Gondo, Denga, Jenya and Chidyamakono primary schools together with Jenya and Tambudzai and Chidyamakono secondary schools.

“We are working flat out to improve access to clean water by all communities in Chivi and besides drilling boreholes we are also looking at piped water projects targeting mainly schools and rural health service centres,” said Cllr Mukungunugwa.