Audrey Rundofa Herald Reporter
Harare City Council’s water department is working to resolve water shortages affecting most of the capital’s suburbs. In an interview with The Herald on the sidelines of a Harare water strategic plan consultative session with civil society in Harare yesterday, acting director for water Engineer Mabhena Moyo said the local authority was keen to ensure that residents received high quality, affordable and accessible water.
“We are aiming at improving the quantity and quality of water production so that it is sufficient for all the residents in Harare,” said Engineer Moyo.
“This strategic plan will guide us to address the problems which are being encountered by residents.
“The demand for water consumption in Harare is high, yet we are not allowed to pump a huge amount of water from Lake Chivero, but we will start generating it from Murehwa in Chikwaka Dam in order to meet demand.”
He said the department sourced for equipment that will enable the local authority to supply adequate potable water.
The involvement of residents at yesterday’s consultative meeting, he said, was important since they were better placed to apprise council on problems currently affecting service delivery.
“We need to engage residents because they are on the ground and they see all the problems.
“We want to repair the burst pipes in different suburbs of Harare so that we reduce the water loss that is being incurred by residents,” he said.
It is believed there are more than 50 000 properties in Greater Harare that are accessing water from council, but are not registered in the system, a situation which is prejudicing the local authority.
Residents who attended the meeting urged council to routinely give residents feedback on council projects.



