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Talent Gore
RESIDENTS of Avondale and Mabelreign in Harare have reportedly gone without council water for over 10 days and are now resorting to buying from bulk water suppliers.
Several factors have contributed to the lag in the provision of fresh water to the areas.
These include low pumping at Morton Jaffray Waterworks, consistent power outages and a lack of pressure in the system to reach high-lying areas.
As a result, residents who rely on council water are expressing frustration and outrage at having to bear the additional cost of buying water from private suppliers.
Residents said they last had running water before Christmas.
“Even before that, it came for less than a day. I have 10 000-litre tanks, but water went after four hours without filling them.
“The pressure was very low,” said Themba Mpofu, a Mabelreign resident.
He said this was the fourth time he has had to buy water in about six weeks.
“That’s about US$200, I mean it’s crazy. Why am I paying rates if I pay $150 in rates then I have to pay more for water? It’s the same with garbage collection because there hasn’t been any garbage collection for months.
“I have had to get a private refuse collection company to collect trash and I pay them US$20 a month. Now I have to buy water.”
Ward 17 councillor, Happymore Gotora, said there is low pumping at Morton Jaffray Waterworks.
“As long as there is low pumping at Morton Jaffray, it affects everything.
“And some of the areas are being affected by consistent power outages which is affecting pumping, especially at Emerald Hill Pump Station and Warren Control.”
Gotora said they expect the situation to improve soon.
He said suburbs such as Meyrick Park, Sunridge and parts of Avondale are receiving water.
“There are challenges in places like Greencroft and parts of Sunridge because there is low pumping pressure and water won’t reach high lying places. It only goes to low lying areas,” he said.
Online Reporter