Harare needs $2,3bn for water

Blessings Chidakwa Municipality Correspondent
Harare needs at least US$2,3 billion to address acute water shortages through construction of dams, new water treatment plants and refurbishing the existing infrastructure, an official has said.

The local authority is also urgently in dire need of US$3 million from the US$2,3 billion to install new pumps and refurbish under-threat Warren Control Pumping Station, which is a critical point that links Morton Jaffray Water Works and Harare.

In an interview with The Herald, Harare Mayor Councillor Herbert Gomba said the water situation was worrisome.

“The $2 billion is needed for the construction of three major dams for Harare, which are Kunzvi, Musami and Muda, and the construction of new water treatment plants,” he said.

“It also includes that which is needed for the distribution network of the pumping stations.”

Cllr Gomba said the additional US$3 million was urgently needed for Warren Control Pumping Station.

“We have engaged the African Development Bank and Multi-Donor Trust Fund to help us put new pumps, and refurbish that plant because it is a critical distribution network system that we must be able repair,” he said.

“We were looking at US$3 million to upgrade the pump and refurbish the plant.”

At least 40 percent of the water that is produced at Morton Jaffray is being lost along the way due to leakages, hence transmission lines need to be addressed.

Harare, like other urban area in Zimbabwe, has experienced acute water shortages for decades due to dilapidated infrastructure and acute shortage of water treatment chemicals against a rapidly rising population.

Last month, during a media tour of Morton Jaffary Water Treatment Plant, Chinese company CMEC contracted to work on the rehabilitation of the plant said it had no capacity to supply water to Harare residents since it was built for a population of 300 000 as compared to the 1,5 million people now living in the city.

CMEC project executive director Mr Cao Yang said solving the water problem of the City of Harare was a complex issue that required different corrective measures to be taken.