Parts of the capital, Harare, have not had running water for the pasttwo weeks, raising fears that the waterborne disease causing 94,277recorded cases since August 2008, might return with a vengeance afterthe caseload has dropped.
The practice of digging shallow wells to draw water remains part oflife in the city's high-density suburbs and is widely recognized as theflashpoint for the disease, because the collapse of sanitation systemscoincided with the breakdown of the piped water system.
Sam Sipepa Nkomo, the minister responsible for water resources andmanagement in the unity government, told IRIN an audit of the state ofwater and sanitation infrastructure was being undertaken.
Nkomo said a summit was held recently in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe's secondcity, which was attended by stakeholders in water management, treatmentand distribution, as well as representatives of the sewage treatmentand disposal sector.
"A group of experts from that meeting was tasked with coming up withhow much money is needed to revive the water and sanitation situationthroughout the country."
Initial estimates were that it would take US$28 million annually to buywater treatment chemicals. "If anybody or organisations can provide mewith that amount of money, then we can supply chemicals for one year,he said.
"But that would not solve the situation because there are issues ofreviving the collapsed infrastructure like water pipes, water treatmentplants, and being able to pump water to businesses and homes."
At the moment it was a moot point as there was no money. "We are surviving from hand to mouth," Nkomo said.
The immediate plan of action was to break down the response into threetiers, should money become available: emergency response, short-term,and a long-term plan for the provision of water and sanitation.
Barnabas Mangodza, chief executive officer of the Combined HarareResidents Association, told IRIN that attempts to put a price tag onthe cost of repairs to infrastructure had come to nothing.
"We have since realized that the figure keeps rising by the day, andtherefore a complete audit of the state of infrastructure in Harareneeds to be done before we can come up with a figure," he said.
A collapsed system
"Initially, we had estimated that it would be around US$500 million,but every day we establish that most of the infrastructure might needto be totally replaced. The system is really a shell and has all butcollapsed."
Initially, we had estimated that it would be around US$500 million, butevery day we establish that most of the infrastructure might need to betotally replaced. The system is really a shell and has all butcollapsedFormer Harare mayor and engineer by profession Elias Mudzuritold IRIN that the decision by President Robert Mugabe’s ruling ZANU-PFin 2005 to transfer responsibility for providing water and sanitationfrom local to central government was the genesis of the cholera crisis.
"In the case of Harare, the government fired elected representativesand imposed clueless commissioners to run the affairs of the city," hesaid.
The current mayor of Harare, Muchadei Masunda, said his administrationwas in the final stages of returning the responsibility for water andsanitation management to the municipality.
"Sometime back in 2005 the responsibility of providing potable water toHarare was taken away from the city and given to ZINWA [ZimbabweNational Water Authority], which is a parastatal, and that was one ofthe most regrettable things to happen in this country," he said.
IRIN
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