A descriptive survey of the effect of water shortage in Mhangura Town was conducted targeting
randomly sampled heads of households and key informants. The collapse of Mhangura Mine has
left residents in despair as the benefits of the initial triggers diminish and people desert the
settlement in search of new socio-economic activities. Water scarcity has seriously affected the
social life in this once vibrant mining town. Population levels in the town remain high against a
dwindling stock of water available for daily utilization. The shortage has affected the normal
functions of schools and hospital in the area and has worsened the workload for women who
have to fetch water from dams on the surrounding farms. The environmental health situation in
the community can be summarized as critical as there is no water to move human waste.
Consequently, the bush system has become popular within the community. The study
recommends that the responsible authority should source funds to restore proper water
reticulation and sewage treatment works for the Mhangura Community. The community also has
to be educated on the importance of water and ways of conserving the little water that the council
is providing.