An analysis of the effects of the Chitungwiza urgent water supply, sanitation and rehabilitation project phase 11 on the water supply situation in Chitugwiza, 2015-2018.

Abstract

The study focused on analysing the effects of the Urgent Water Supply Sanitation and Rehabilitation Project (UWSSRP) Phase 2 on the water supply situation in Chiungwiza. This came amidst the realization of UWSSRP’s potential in curbing the worrisome and unbearable looming statistics reflecting the people unserved with access to safe water and sanitation in Zimbabwe. The objectives of the study were to examine the goals, objectives, benefits and challenges of the UWSSRP Phase 2 as well as to submit recommendations that can be adopted to mitigate the challenges choking the efficacy of the Chitungwiza UWSSRP Phase 2 on the water supply situation in Chitungwiza. Conceptually, the study utilized water supply, sanitation and rehabilitation as concepts guiding the study. The research methodology followed included a qualitative research design and approach, a target population drawn mainly from the Chitungwiza locality residents as well as technical employees and top officials from the AFDB, ZINWA and Chitungwiza Municipality, a sample drawn using purposive sampling, convenience and quota sampling, data collection mainly through interviews, FDG‘s, and data analysis that was done using content analysis and thematic analysis. The major findings of the study illuminate that the UWSSRP has made some strides in improving access to water supply and sanitation in Chitungwiza through its virtues of rehabilitating the critical components of the Chitungwiza water supply and sanitation infrastructure, building the Chitungwiza Municipality Institutional and organisational capacity to effectively manage the water supply and sanitation system and ensuring compliance to the Global and National standards regarding the provision of safe water and sanitation. The study also revealed that the UWSSRP bestowed a string of benefits which include reduction in the incidences and prevalence’s of cholera and diarrhea, hygiene promotion, improvement in the water supply reliability, quality and accessibility as well as ensuring the capacitation of women. Based on the study findings, the research concludes that although the UWSSRP made some efforts in resuscitating the dire water supply situation in Chitungwiza, its aims have been maimed by various factors such as the financial constraints, lack of technical capacity, corruption, lack of measurement of the bulk water delivered, overreliance on an independent water source and rapid population growth. These stumbling blocks have therefore made the Chitungwiza water supply and sanitation to be in contrary with the global and national standards regarding the provision of safe water and sanitation. Thus, the study recommends the need for the Chitungwiza Municipality to embark on Public Private Partnerships to curb financial constraints, ensure the implementation of a transparent criteria in the selection of tenders to curb corruption and embark on training and development to fill the knowledge gap. Apart from this, the study also recommends investment in dam development so as to overcome supply and demand challenges emanating from overreliance on an independent water supply source from Harare.