THE Luveve community is set to have access to more water sources with a local non-governmental organisation setting up more solar-powered boreholes following the acquisition of a drill rig.
With six boreholes having been set up in the past three years, the Lot Water Project intends to add six more within the next five months after buying its own rig.
Luveve Member of Parliament, Honourable Stella Ndlovu said water challenges have recently been exacerbated by electricity challenges and having alternative safe water sources will certainly be welcome news to the Luveve community.
She said they have worked closely with the Lot Water Project in setting up boreholes, which have come in handy during the water challenges the city is facing.
“The Lot Water Project has shown commitment towards the people of Luveve and we are certainly excited they now have a rig as this will mean more safe water sources in a short period of time.
“We understand they have targeted five more schools in a short period and we believe they will be able to do this because their previous work has been thorough,” she said.
Luveve community leader, Ndaba Ngoma also said water challenges were dire and more boreholes will come in handy for the residents.
“While they advise us not to use the borehole water for drinking it is usually tested for any adverse bacteria and we use it for other household uses.
“The other boreholes have really helped and we are happy if more are going to be set up,” he said.
The six boreholes located in Luveve include one at Amakhosi Grounds, another in Old Luveve near Masina terminus, at Nzwananzi Primary School, Luveve Primary School and at the Ugandan Maytars Roman Catholic Church and in Cowdray Park at Cowdray Park Primary School.
Lot Water Project founder, Innocent Hadebe said: “The process of bringing in the drilling rig will help in moving quicker since we now own the operation ourselves, we don’t have to depend on anybody so when we get the approval to drill at a school we can go in and do it ourselves quicker, so far we have drilled six boreholes in like three years but the plan is we want to double that number by September.”
He said they have already earmarked some five schools in Luveve they want to drill boreholes in and have already sent letters to the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education seeking approval to drill in Mafakela, Fusi Primary, Nyanda High, Mbizo Primary and Matshayiskhova.
Hadebe said they will be moving beyond Luveve but want to be strategic about how they move forward and so maybe they will go to Magwegwe, Magwegwe North, Pumula, or Emakhandeni but the plan is to come through all the schools in Bulawayo.
The entity decided opted to set up boreholes in schools to ensure security for the systems while also giving the educational institutions an opportunity to buttress their agricultural studies with the availability of water throughout the year.
