Terrence Mawawa| A Masvingo based civic organisation has urged the local authority to resolve the water woes in the city to avert a looming health hazard.

In a statement Community Tolerance Reconciliation and Development(COTRAD) expressed dismay at the incessant shortage of water in the ancient city.

Local residents have gone for three weeks without running water in the taps.

Below is COTRAD’s statement: “Residents fear that there might be an outbreak of diseases such as cholera and typhoid as people are fetching water from boreholes and other unprotected sources.

Community Tolerance Reconciliation and Development (COTRAD) Action for Accountability Groups (AAGs) met with Masvingo City Council Commission chairperson Mr Goddard Dunira who said the water crisis was caused by the malfunctioning of pumps at Bushmead Waterworks.”

“There are three pumps at the main water works and at any given time two pumps will be running while the other one will be on standby. Right now two pumps are down and we are pumping with one at 50 percent capacity,” said Dunira

Local residents have wholly blamed the city council for dismally failing to prioritise water supply maintenance machinery.

COTRAD has also urged Masvingo City Council to resolve the water crisis as soon as possible. “COTRAD will continue to engage the council until the water crisis is rectified. Access to clean and safe water is a constitutional right as enshrined in section 77 that, every person has the right to clean and safe water,” said COTRAD Information Officer Ishmael Kupfuwa.