adminDiana Nherera
Chitungwiza Municipality has clarified that the brownish colour of the water coming out of taps is residual chlorine that had accumulated due to long periods without water.Spokesperson for Chitungwiza Municipality, Mr Tafadzwa Kachiko said this is a common occurrence in systems with intermittent water supply.
“Because we are currently receiving 15 megalitres per day while the actual demand is 70 megalitres, we have had to implement water rationing,” he said.
“As a result, some areas go without water for extended periods. When supply is restored, the first flow of water that comes through the pipes often contains higher levels of residual chlorine.
“This is due to the chlorine settling or concentrating in the pipes during the dry period. So when people start filling buckets again, the first few litres may appear to have stronger chlorine presence.”
Mr Kachiko said this is not harmful and is a result of necessary chlorination for safe drinking water combined with the nature of intermittent delivery.
He said water supply has generally improved since the recommissioning of the Prince Edward water treatment plant.
Mr Kachiko said before the recommissioning of the plant, Chitungwiza was receiving between one to three megalitres per day pumped from Morton Jaffray waterworks.
Online Reporter