City secures water chemicals

Talent Gore

HARARE City Council says it has managed to secure water treatment chemicals.

The municipality believes this will ease water shortages.

The announcement comes after most parts of the city went for more than one week without running water, with the Council blaming a shortage of chemicals. City of Harare acting spokesperson, Innocent Ruwende, said residents will start getting running water soon.

“Please note that water treatment chemicals have started trickling in and there is minimum pumping at Morton Jaffray. Most of the western, north-western areas are now receiving water. 

“The Central Business District will receive minimum supplies.

“Residents getting water are advised to use it sparingly as full production is yet to commence,” he said.

Harare mayor, Jacob Mafume, also weighed in saying:

“The Government and the local Council are working flat out to make sure that supplies of chemicals are constant.  As it stands, some areas now have water,” he said.

Combined Harare Residents Association acting director, Reuben Akili, said long-lasting solutions were required to deal with stock-outs of water treatment chemicals. “The issue of water treatment chemicals has become a perennial issue for the City of Harare, mainly emanating from poor revenue collection,” Akili said.

“The local authority discharges waste into Lake Chivero, which increases water purification costs, while there is continued destruction of wetlands, which also purify water for free.

“If they are kept well, they reduce water treatment costs,” he said.

Harare Residents Trust director, Precious Shumba, said it was unfortunate that Council did not provide residents with water bowsers to ease their challenges.

“The City of Harare is getting supplies for water treatment chemicals from companies that belong to individuals, who the Council may not be able to sanction for gross incompetence,” Shumba said.