KWEKWE deputy mayor Pikurai Msipa has attributed the water cuts in the Midlands city to a shortage of manpower in the water department.
Speaking during the commissioning of a borehole project in Amaveni high-density surburb, Msipa said there was a heavy workload on staff in the water department, a situation that was worsened by breakdown of equipment.
"The current water challenges that we are experiencing as a city are a result of shortage of manpower. We need manpower which is in tandem with the increasing workload. The manpower we have is failing to cope with constant water pipe bursts and breakdown of water treatment plants,” Msipa said during the event which was attended by Citizens Coalition for Change legislator for Kwekwe Central Judith Tobaiwa.
“We continue to experience brain drain in the water department. The other problem is that the heavy haulage trucks that deliver raw materials to big steel companies in the city are damaging underground water pipes through vibration. The pipes are not easy to replace due to shortage of resources.”
Meanwhile, Tobaiwa said she would ensure Constituency Development Funds are used to drill more boreholes in the constituency to alleviate water problems.
“In some parts of Kwekwe, residents are going for over two weeks without water. We also have plans to construct public toilets in highly populated mining areas,” Tobaiwa said.
Parts of Kwekwe are not receiving constant water supplies due to pipe bursts and incessant breakdowns at the treatment plant.
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