Community Water Alliance notes with concern the ever escalating crisis of potable water provision in almost every local authority in Zimbabwe.
The crisis is manifesting through dwindling water levels in dams where local authorities abstract water for treatment before distributing to citizens. Besides dwindling water levels in dams; there is serious siltation in dams, very high water pollution levels, poor catchment management and wetlands depletion, poor quality of potable water, insufficient potable water, obsolete infrastructure, crisis of foreign currency availability for water treatment chemicals, poor funding for water projects, downgraded sewerage and water treatment plants.
Majority of Local Authorities are proposing water rationing in Zimbabwe and this is likely to cause a health disaster if the situation is not handled properly.
In light of the national water crisis hitting Zimbabwe, Community Water Alliance is proposing the following:
- Convening of a national stakeholder indaba to shape the course of water delivery in Zimbabwe and ensure water defines the 2018-2023 government term.
- Declaration of disaster regarding the nation’s water, sanitation and hygiene sector.
- Transparency and accountability of duty bearers on access to water.
The water movement’s demands and appeal are guided by obligations of state actors encapsulated in our laws and the complimentary role of International Non-Government Organizations in ensuring that human beings have access safe, clean, sufficient potable water in line with international humanitarian standards.
Source: Community Water Alliance
