Majority of Zimbabweans Pan Government Performance On Water and Sanitation Services

Zimbabweans overwhelmingly disapprove of the government's handling of water and sanitation services, with a stark 70% rating its performance as poor. Access to clean water is a critical issue, impacting daily life for a large portion of the population. In the past year, 60% of households reported experiencing water shortages, and a concerning 49% faced these shortages multiple times or constantly.

Water supply ranks as the fifth most pressing problem citizens want the government to address, with rural and poorer communities disproportionately affected. While the constitution guarantees the right to potable water, current access is estimated at only 64%. Many citizens, 56%, rely on water sources located outside their compounds, primarily tubewells or boreholes, which are accessible in only 37% of surveyed areas. This reliance on external sources highlights the inadequacy of existing infrastructure.

Sanitation infrastructure is equally limited, with only 31% of surveyed areas having sewage systems. A significant portion of the population, 51%, uses communal toilets outside their homes but within their compounds, while 15% must use facilities outside their compounds. Alarmingly, 9% of citizens report having no access to any sanitation facilities.

These challenges are compounded by climate change, recurrent droughts, and a growing population, which strain the already dilapidated water and sanitation infrastructure, particularly in major cities. Pollution of water bodies like Lake Chivero, a primary source for Harare, further diminishes water quality. The consequences are severe, with waterborne diseases such as cholera, dysentery, and typhoid being reported as recently as June 2024.