daniel chigunwe
Precious Manomano
Herald Reporter
City of Harare has failed to supply sufficient water to its residents prompting the Government to intervene by supplying water chemicals and sinking boreholes.
The Government wants availability to be commensurate with the existing population.
Government has resolved to purchase a one-month supply of chemicals for the immediate relief of residents, this will increase treated water production capacity from the current 303 ML/day to 520ML/day.
So far Government has also sunk 303 boreholes in Ruwa, Epworth, Chitungwiza, Harare and Norton and it has resolved to dedicate a rig to the Harare Metropolitan Province to accelerate borehole drilling in needy areas.
The current situation is that both Morton Jaffray and Prince Edward water works are delivering 302.96 Mega litres(ML) per day out of the potential of 704 ML/day as per their design capacity.
The current treatment capacity of the City of Harare is 520ML/day comprising 450ML/day from Morton Jaffray and 70 ML/day from Prince Edward Works.
This constrained production and limited supply to Chitungwiza, the Central Business District and the Western Suburbs, with no water being delivered to the Northern and Eastern suburbs such as Mabvuku, Tafara and Hatcliffe.
Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development, Dr Anxious Masuka said the reason the current production is at 302ML/day is due to inadequate supply of chemicals with City of Harare hamstrung by resources to purchase chemicals and the suppliers unwilling to continue providing chemicals on credit.
“Residents should see an immediate improvement in water supply. The long term resolution of the water crisis the City of Harare is facing is now beyond means of the City. In terms of planning, implementation and financing, both the supply side and demand side interventions are required to ensure that residents have safe and potable water available,’’ he said.
The estimated water demand for Harare is 1 200ML/day and the water demand has been increasing overtime without a commensurate increase in water treatment delivery capacity.
The treatment plant design deficit currently stands at 496 ML/day.
Currently there are only two water systems providing raw water to the City of Harare. These are Seke and Harava systems which feed into Prince Edward Water Works and Lake Chivero system which supplies Morton Jaffray works.
The intake works at Lake Manyame are currently down, hence no water is being abstracted from the source.
On average Harare Water Supply dams stand at 84,6 percent full and the current raw water in dams can supply the City of Harare for a period of 26.3 months.
Government is also building the Kunzvi-Musami Greater Harare water supply system with phase one being the construction of Kunzvi dam and treatment works to supply 202ML/day.
This system is expected to be operational by 2026.
The Musami dam will supply 307 ML/day.
This will increase water supply to 1 213ML/day enough to meet the projected demand of 1 200ML/day.
The Muchekeranwa-Wemimbi-Marondera-Nora-Ruwa system is being revamped to supply additional 30ML/day in the first phase. This will provide relief to Ruwa, Mabvuku and Tafara surburbs.
Dr Masuka said measures above must be completed by planning and investments in argumentation of treatment and conveyance systems and revamping of waste water systems.
Government has also established a Technical Committee to assist the city of Harare to plan and manage water to provide long term solutions to Harare’s perennial water problems.
Epworth residents applauded President Mnangagwa for tackling water challenges after the CCC-led council failed to provide potable water to residents.
“We would like to thank President Mngangagwa for this initiative. We have been facing water challenges for a long time. We used to fetch water from unprotected wells but now we are getting fresh clean water from the tap. Everyone now has access to clean water at any time,” said Mr Talent Mupfururi of Epworth.
Another resident, Mrs Memory Mugoni, echoed the same sentiments, saying the boreholes had brought relief to Epworth.
“We would like to thank our benevolent President for drilling boreholes in this area. We are very happy because when we used to visit wells to fetch water we would spend the whole day queuing to fill up a 20-litre bucket. President Mnangagwa has the concerns of the people at heart and we are grateful for his visionary leadership,” she said.
Mrs Barbra Machingauta said the boreholes have brought convenience in Epworth as they have not been receiving water for a long period.
“Our President is doing wonders. He is working hard to make sure that people’s concerns are addressed. We women used to have a heavy burden of carrying buckets in wheel barrows and pushcarts to go and fetch water from unprotected sources, but now we have boreholes which provide clean and safe water,” she said.
Online Reporter