Zambezi Times Reporter
It seemed a farfetched dream. Setting up a filtration plant in Bulawayo’s Luveve suburb and bringing safe water to residents.
That is what Innocent Hadebe set out to achieve when Luveve suburb was hit by a diarrhoea outbreak in 2020.
As he did his research, he realised he it will not be a one day thing with a network of boreholes needed to supply the purification plant on a consistent basis.
While for some the dream would have been seen as unattainable, Hadebe soldiered on and started off setting up one borehole and in three years managed to have set up six water sources.
The Lot Water Project last week imported a water drilling rig and founder, Hadebe said this will allow them to drill six more boreholes by September enabling them to inch closer to achieving their aim quicker.
Hadebe said they had seen the need to acquire their own rig after experiencing bottlenecks and delays in the setting up of boreholes after engaging contractors.
He added in the long run the cost to the organisation will be lower due to the fact they have their own rig.
“It’s a great milestone for the Lot Water Project as this changes our approach in drilling boreholes. “We had wanted to be quicker but we had faced challenges and worked at a slower pace but now with a rig in our possession it will be quicker.
“Since our formation three years ago we have managed to drill six boreholes but we want to be able to complete the same number of boreholes by September.
“We have already written to the Ministry of Education and the Bulawayo City Council requesting permission to set up the boreholes in their schools,” he said.
Hadebe said they were closely following the water challenges facing the city and they are eager to play a role in alleviating the challenge and helping residents to cope.
“By September we want to have at-least 12 boreholes set up in Bulawayo we have already earmarked some five schools in Luveve and we 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.
“We are expanding our focus beyond Luveve and looking at areas such as Magwegwe, Magwegwe North, Pumula, or Emakhandeni but the plan is we ready to drill more at a faster rate,” he said.
The Lot Water Project had drilled boreholes six boreholes in Luveve area with 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 another one at Cowdray Park Primary School.
The entity was formed in reaction to a diarrhoea crisis that affected the Luveve suburb resulting in the death of at-least 13 people with over 2000 being hospitalised.
