The Impacts of Water Shortages on Women’s Time-Space Activities in the High Density Suburb of Mabvuku in Harare

The purpose of this study was to assess how water scarcity affects women’s time-space activity. Time-space activity refers to the lateral distance between locations. In this context time is taken when traveling to and fro collecting water. Space refers to the radius covered. The study was carried out in Mabvuku, a high-density suburb of Harare, Zimbabwe, following observations and reports of serious shortages of water in the area. A case study approach was employed for the study and respondents were selected using purposive and snowball sampling. Data was collected using questionnaires, structured interview guides, and observational surveys. The study showed that there was a widespread water shortage in the suburb and women walked long distances to collect water while men rarely participated in such activities. The impacts affect various household activities, time for socialization, prevalence of waterborne diseases, and personal hygiene. Some of the recommendations include adding more potable water sources in the area, emphasis on education and awareness of water conservation within the household, and setting up water sources committee management in urban areas