THE skin has been tanned as a result of constant exposure to the very hot October temperatures.
Clothes have faded from being washed so often with little or dirty water.
Colourful water buckets only show traces they used to be either blue or yellow, but the dirt and grime has changed the colour to black.
Flushing the toilet after use in the home is now a luxury as the whole family has to use the toilet one after another and the woman of the house does the flushing in order to minimise unnecessary waste of water.
And, the day now begins as early as 3am in order to secure water for family use which can only be available around mid-day or just after lunch.
Welcome to the world of the average Chitungwiza woman today!
In recent weeks, water scarcity has severely affected Harare and Chitungwiza.
The Patriot recently toured Chitungwiza only to find a lot of areas without running water save for schools with boreholes.
Areas such as Unit M and K have gone for more than two weeks without water.
Others were trekking to Unit L which still has some boreholes with water owing to their depth.
In an interview, Nyasha Mawonya (34) of Unit N, Seke, said consistent water supply lasted until April, after the rains.
“We last had consistent water supply in April just after the rains and ever since, we resorted to our boreholes at home, but they have since dried up,” said Mawonya.
“I have to walk a long distance early in the morning so that I get a good position in the queue because this will enable me to find time to go home early and do some household chores.
“If I secure at least 200 litres that will last me a week because five litres is enough for two people to bath.”
Another resident, Ndaizivei Beta (not real name), said she has to endure the long queues every day because she has a baby in napkins and they need to be washed every day.
“I need about 120 litres of water because I have two children, one strapped on my back and the other one a toddler whom I have to wash every day,” she said.
“I cannot afford to spend a day without washing because I stay in a one-roomed house so the smell of the unwashed napkins can be unbearable hence the everyday trips to the borehole.”
The water crisis has worsened to the extent there are some men (mafia) who take advantage of women and jump the long winding queues.
Most of these sell water for 20US cents for a 20-litre tin.
This translates to a dollar for 100 litres a day and US$30 every month, which is beyond the reach for many Chitungwiza residents.
The women claim the Chitungwiza Municipality has explained the exacerbating water shortages are a result of the inadequate rains experienced last season.
Chitungwiza town clerk George Makunde’s phone was not reachable, however, Harare City Council acting corporate communications manager, Michael Chideme, said the water crisis was not unique to Chitungwiza.
“The truth is that there is water scarcity and we have to do water management so that all areas can have something at least once or twice a week,” he said.
“Water production at Prince Edward and Morton Jaffray has dropped.
“We used to have 70 mega litres at Prince Edward, but we now have about 15 mega litres a day, while at Morton Jaffray we now have 400 mega litres against the one million mega litres a day which Harare needs.”
Chideme said climate change was beginning to have direct effects on Zimbabweans.
Recently, a local newspaper reported that the city council had introduced water rationing as a result of the low levels of water at Harava and Seke Dams – the city’s main water sources.
Harava and Seke Dams’ capacities were one and 5,7 percent respectively, while Lake Chivero, an alternative source is currently at 50 percent, meaning Harare could be looking at only four months’ water supply.
Harare Water distribution manager, Engineer Hosiah Chisango, told a local weekly newspaper that levels in Harava and Seke Dams were drying up such that pumping water from them took longer than before and was becoming costly to supply.
“We are reducing the water we are pumping until the onset of the rains and this will help us conserve the little that we have,” Chisango said.
“We have gone back to those days when some areas only received water during the night while others will have days when they will not get any water.
“In places that will be most affected, we will deploy water bowsers and these will become permanent features until the situation improves.
“Starting (this week), water bowsers will be deployed to suburbs that include Budiriro, Hatfield, Mabvuku, Tafara and Budiriro.”
Studies have shown that women disproportionately suffer the impacts of disasters, severe weather and climate change because of cultural norms and the inequitable distribution of roles, resources and power, especially in developing countries.
Climate change has a significant impact on securing household water, food and fuel – activities that usually are the responsibility of women and girls.
In times of drought and erratic rainfall, women and girls must walk further and spend more time collecting water and fuel.
Girls may have to drop out of school to help their mothers with these tasks, continuing the cycle of poverty and inequity.
Changing climate also affects the health of crops and livestock and women, who are often responsible for producing the food eaten at home. The women must work harder for less food.