Relief as city restores water supplies

Nyemudzai Kakore Herald Reporter
Harare City Council has managed to restore water supplies in some residential areas that had gone without water over Christmas with taps now running again in the Avenues, Kuwadzana, Cranborne and a few other suburbs. But while parts lower Greendale received its first municipal water for weeks on Sunday – with the taps going dry yesterday – Mabvuku and Tafara still have dry taps, as does much of eastern Harare.

“I’m glad that we now have water just on time, as we prepare to celebrate our New Year,” said Richard Gate of Kuwadzana. “The council should have the courtesy to inform us if there are any technical problems they encounter.”

“The council must improve its communication with residents and avoid situations in which we hear about the problems in newspapers.”
Some residents in the Avenues area said the council must install individual water meters to avoid conflicts among dwellers in city flats who were being charged collectively.

They urged the council which recently got a US$75 million grant from India to effectively revamp the city’s ageing water and sewer reticulation system.

Avenues residents said some of the money should focus more on upgrading the city’s water billing system.
“The council needs to improve the water billing system to avoid overcharging consumers and enhance fairness on billing,” said Rumbidzai Shoko, who lives in the Avenues.

Said Tatenda Matira: “Close to 20 families here in the Avenues share one fixed water meter and this creates conflicts. Residents often quarrel about bills resulting in disconnections and unfair distribution of water.”