adminMangaliso Kabulika
Government has announced the purchase of a one-month supply of chemicals to improve the water supply system in Harare.
The move is expected to increase treated water production capacity from 303 megalitres to 520 megalitres a day.
Harare has only two water systems providing raw water, which can supply it for 26 months.
The estimated demand for water in the Greater Harare area is 1 200 megalitres per day but the water treatment plant only has a capacity of 704 megalitres per day.
The Harare Water Supply dams stood at 84.6 percent full as at September 22.
Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development Minister, Anxious Masuka, said no new investment has taken place to augment demand while reticulation and sewerage systems have become dilapidated.
“This constrained production has limited the water supply mainly Chitungwiza, Central Business District and the Western Suburbs only with no water being delivered to the northern and eastern suburbs such as Mabvuku, Tafara and Hatcliffe,” said Masuka.
“The water demand has been increasing overtime without a commensurate increase in water treatment delivery capacity,” he said.
Online Reporter