MANAMANI - While most people were enjoying their Easter holiday with their families and friends, the residents of Manamani Village were finding it difficult to survive.

Their water taps have been dry for several weeks, thus forcing the stranded residents to walk long distances to fetch water from contaminated fountains and nearby rivers.

In an interview with Mirror, the chairperson of the local civic association, Mr AW Manyaga, stated that he could not remember when he had last seen water coming out of the street taps. According to him, the people from his organisation have already done everything within their power to normalise the situation, and nothing has changed.

Manyaga stated that they took the matter up with the local ward councillor, Mr Mmbudzeni Mulandana, who in turn shared the matter with the responsible department, Water Affairs and Forestry.

The water from the fountains on which the residents are relying on is highly contaminated. Mirror is in the possession of a copy of the report that was compiled by the environmental health inspectors with regard to the inspection that was conducted at the three fountains. "Due to shortage of water, residents are forced to use the water from the fountains. Samples were taken from these fountains for bacteriological tests. The water is a health hazard and there is a great possibility for an outbreak of waterborne diseases in the area," reads an extract from the report.

When Mirror visited the area on Sunday morning, it was evident that cases of people infected with diseases could very well be reported from the area in the near future. The people were sharing the same fountains with cattle. Some people were fetching water for domestic use from the nearby Dzindi River, while others were busy washing their clothes at the same spot.

Manyaga told Mirror that the problem started when the engine that pumps the water into the local reservoir broke down some months ago. A senior official in the Department of Water Affairs and Forestry, Mr Phineas Ramovha, acknowledged that notice of the problem had already reached his office through the local ward councillor, Mr Mmbudzeni Mulandana.

He stated that his people were busy attending to the problem and assured the residents that the problem would soon be something of the past. Despite all the promises from the Department of Water Affairs, the taps were still dry at the time of going to the press.