Rapid urbanisation linked to water scarcity in Zim

High levels of urbaniation in Zimbabwe contribute significantly to the water scarcity problem in this country.

Currently, more than 32% of the population are living in urban areas. The rapid urbanisation rate has led to an increase in water demand, putting strain on the already limited water resources and infrastructure in Zimbabwe.

According to Bulawayo24 News, the country experienced a cholera outbreak in 2023. Most of the cases were reported in urban areas where residents had unlawfully dug wells which resulted in contaminated groundwater.

According to the report, residents in highly populated areas such as Kuwadzana ended up drilling wells because of “the failure by local authorities to provide clean, safe, and potable water, despite having an obligation to provide safe, clean, and potable water in terms of Section 77 of the constitution of Zimbabwe”. Open wells, often contaminated with pollutants and sewage, had become breeding grounds for waterborne diseases, including cholera. The cholera bacteria flourished in unsanitary water sources, leading to the rapid spread of the disease.

The lack of proper sanitation infrastructure, coupled with the burgeoning population in areas such as Kuwadzana, for example, made the residents more vulnerable to cholera.

According to the United Nations Environment Programme, fresh water-related ecosystems include wetlands, rivers, aquifers, and lakes that sustain biodiversity and life.

Although the systems covered less than 1% of the earth’s surface, these habitats hosted approximately onethird of vertebrate species and 10% of all species, including mammals, birds, and fish. Water-related ecosystems were vital for the function of all terrestrial ecosystems, providing regulating and provisioning services.

Only 0,5% of the water on earth was usable and available as freshwater. In 2020, approximately two billion people lacked access to safely managed drinking water, and 3,6 billion people lacked access to safely managed sanitation services.

In terms of agriculture water usage, farmers across the world, but particularly in sub-Saharan Africa, continued to rely heavily on rainfall for food production.

“With climate change, temperatures and crop evaporation levels are spiking coupled with a growing uncertainty about the timing, duration, and quantity of rainfall, increasing the risks related to producing food and undermining the livelihood security of most rural people,” the authors of the report said.

The demand for water had outpaced population growth and half the world’s population was experiencing severe water scarcity at least once a month.

Water scarcity was expected to rise with the rise of global temperatures as a result of climate change. –