Gweru sets monthly water tests target

GWERU City Council will embark on monthly water tests to ensure quality supplies of the precious liquid to residents following a donation of test kits from an international non-profit organisation, a senior council official has said.

Gweru mayor Josiah Makombe said the move was aimed at reducing waterborne diseases from the water supplied to the city.

“The department of health received two field water testing kits from Welt Hunger Hilfe,” Makombe said in his recent state of the city address.

“The donation came at a time we needed it most in the interest of public health to assure the quality of drinking water to residents. The health department in conjunction with the engineering department have set a target of 200 bacteriological sample analysis a month, to constantly check the quality of water to avert possible water-related diseases.”

Makombe also assured residents that the city was supplying water that conformed to set standards “in both chemical bacteriological and physical parameters”.

Gweru Residents and Ratepayers Association director Cornelia Selipiwe commended council for embarking on monthly water tests, adding that it was in the best interests of residents’ health.

He said there was need for the local authority to improve provision of potable water to all parts of the city.

Over the years, the Midlands capital has been hit by waterborne disease outbreaks that have claimed lives and resulted in thousands falling sick.