A massive presidential borehole drilling scheme for rural communities is underway to provide portable clean water with reputable firm, Prevail Group International contracted to drill about 10 000 boreholes with irrigation facilities.
The programme being spearheaded by Zimbabwe National Water Authority (Zinwa) is meant to mitigate water challenges and help transform people’s livelihoods, especially in rural communities.
The project is part of Government efforts to improve access to water by rural communities and transform livelihoods through horticulture and domestic usage.
The development dovetails with the Government policy of devolution and decentralization of services to communities for improved service delivery and economic development, anchored on the National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1) towards the country’s aspirations for an upper-middle-income economy by 2030.
One of the project's implementers, Prevail Group International (PGI) said work is already underway in respective provinces to identify sites for boreholes, based on the needs of each respective community.
In an interview PGI group chairman Dr Paul Tungwarara said the ultimate intention of the programme is to have at least a borehole per each village and reduce to less than one kilometre, the average distance one has to travel to get water.
"In partnership with Zinwa, whose mandate is to manage the country’s water resources, the project targets to drill 35,000 new boreholes by 2025,” he said.
To expedite progress, Tungwarara said they have purchased new borehole drilling rigs to add to its fleet.
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“We will be targeting most villages in Buhera before independence. These boreholes are expected toanchor the Presidential Horticultural Programme which will in turn lead to the creation of village industrial centres in line with the rural industrialisation agenda.
“Teams are on the ground and this is what we are doing as the Second Republic to make sure we develop our country,” he said.
“We decided to buy more rigs so that we can address water shortages where villagers are forced to walk long distances forwater.
“Thevillagers have difficulties in accessing safe and adequate water supply, whilein some areas; people were sharing water sources with livestock.”
Boreholewater, Tungwarara said is necessary in alleviating waterborne diseases.
The borehole drilling project would ensure a healthy life by preventing disease outbreaks through the provision of safe and adequate water for the people within 500 meters as per government policy.
“Besides the provision of safe adequate water, the project wants to address gender disparity-related problems as a result of water shortage and climate change issues which poses a great challenge to the water situation,” added Tungwarara.
