Residents of Mpumalanga suburb in Hwange say chronic water shortages caused by ageing infrastructure and repeated burst pipes have left households without a reliable supply, forcing many to queue for hours at overcrowded boreholes.
The suburb’s water is managed by the Zimbabwe National Water Authority (ZINWA), which residents blame for failing to upgrade infrastructure in line with rapid population growth.
Ward 6 resident Cecil Mhlanga said the area had expanded significantly in recent years, placing pressure on an already strained system.
“Water is a challenge in Ward 6, Mpumalanga. The ward has grown and ZINWA is now failing to give everyone access to water,” he said. “I don’t know what should be done so that they can improve and give everyone access.”
Mhlanga said the crisis was not new. At one point, residents in Phase 4 reportedly went nearly a year without running water due to a billing dispute between ZINWA and the Hwange Local Board.
“The Local Board would charge residents maybe US$1, while ZINWA would charge the Local Board US$2,” he said. “ZINWA was charging at a commercial level while people were using water at a domestic level.”
Although that dispute was later resolved and residents began paying ZINWA directly after it took over the infrastructure, supply challenges have continued.
Boreholes drilled under the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) have become the main alternative source of water, but residents say they are now overwhelmed.
“The MP drilled boreholes using CDF, but they are overused. People start queuing as early as 3am until midnight,” Mr Mhlanga said. “There are only two taps, and they often break because of pressure.”
He said tensions have risen within the community as shortages persist.
“There are now fights, with people accusing each other of selling water or bringing too many containers. We have tried engaging ZINWA, but nothing tangible comes out of those meetings,” he said, adding that one meeting was held at a police station due to heightened tensions.
Another resident, who identified herself as naMampo, said the situation had disrupted daily life, particularly in DRC and Phase 4.
“We wake up very early to queue for water, only to wait for sunrise so that the solar system can start pumping,” she said. “We spend hours in queues and fail to do other work. It’s even worse for those who are employed.”
She added that some residents who cannot access boreholes resort to collecting water from pools formed by burst pipes.
“This situation is causing conflict among residents,” she said, calling for new water pipes to be installed to match the suburb’s growing population.
Greater Hwange Residents Trust chairperson Fidelis Chima said a lasting solution would require changes in management.
“There will never be a lasting water solution to Empumalanga as long as residents have no direct say on water management,” he said. “It is sad to see women and girls spending much of their time queueing for water at communal boreholes.”
Ward 6 Councillor Mlungisi Zhanero, however, questioned why residents had approached journalists instead of engaging councillors and ZINWA directly.
In response to the complaints, ZINWA Corporate Communications Manager Marjorie Munyonga acknowledged the disruptions, attributing them to pipe bursts and mechanical failures at the main pumping station.
“While water services remain stable in most areas of Empumalanga, we are aware of localised outages affecting Empumalanga Phase 4, Dynamics and DRC,” she said.
Munyonga said a major pipe burst occurred on 28 April 2026. Although repairs were completed the following day, a secondary failure occurred shortly afterwards.
She added that the primary pumping station, designed to deliver 600 cubic metres per hour, had faced technical challenges over the past three weeks after both main pumps broke down.
“To ensure residents did not face a total blackout of services, the Authority installed a temporary unit,” she said. “However, this unit has a reduced output of 430 cubic metres per hour.”
She said the reduced capacity meant the system could not pressurise the entire network simultaneously, resulting in intermittent supply or low pressure in some areas.
ZINWA said it was in the final stages of procuring a new 600 cubic metre per hour pump, which would restore the system to full design capacity once installed.