HEALTH authorities in Beitbridge have warned of a potential health hazard after the Zimbabwe National Water Authority (Zinwa) cut water supplies to the border town on Monday over unpaid bills.
District medical officer Linos Samhere told NewsDay on Wednesday that he had put his teams on high alert for possible disease outbreaks.
The town’s over 60 000 residents have been without running water since Monday as Zinwa insisted on payment of ZiG2 711 362. 80 million in unpaid bills.
“We had problems of dysentery when they initially closed water and a repeat of this is possible and can degenerate to cholera. We were celebrating victory over cholera and then there is this development. I have already written to our province advising them of this," Samhere said.
"We must be wary of diseases like cholera that can be triggered by water shortages and the two authorities (Beitbridge municipality and Zinwa) should find each other to avoid disaster. Water vendors are selling water in the town but there is no quality control of the commodity. There is a serious risk," he said.
Beitbridge in 2008 and 2009 contributed the highest number to the 5000 cholera-related deaths recorded in the country.
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Soon after the health disaster, the United Nations Development Programme released a US$2 million grant for the upgrading of Beitbridge water purification plant to ensure the border town has adequate water supplies.