Source: Harare runs out of water chemicals | The Herald March 13, 2019
Innocent Ruwende Senior Reporter
Most suburbs in Harare are experiencing serious water woes due to the shortage of water treatment chemicals with the city now pinning hopes on Higherlife Foundation to provide the required foreign currency to purchase chemicals.Town Clerk Mr Hosiah Chisango confirmed that Harare had run out of liquid and granular aluminium, lime and HTH with only 25 cubic metres of aluminium sulphate in stock.
The Urban Councils’ Association of Zimbabwe (UCAZ) says it will approach Local Government, Public Works and National Housing Minister July Moyo over the issue.
Harare is also pinning its hopes on Higherlife Foundation, a family foundation of Econet founders Strive and Tsitsi Masiyiwa whose philanthropic work is anchored around transforming Zimbabwe’s socio-economic narrative and further develop and pivot Zimbabwe into a middle-income country by 2030.
The organisation was pivotal in fighting a cholera outbreak last year donating $10 million towards the cause.
Sources at Harare Water revealed that a council team led by Harare Mayor Herbert Gomba was close to striking a deal worth more than $100 million with the largest local non-governmental organisation in Zimbabwe after having numerous meetings last week.
During a meeting with Sentosa residents and their councillor, Denford Ngadziore, who were complaining about water problems at Town House, Mayor Gomba revealed that council had made a proposal to Higherlife Foundation which could solve some of the water and sanitation problems faced by the city.
Cllr Ngadziore had highlighted that the water problems in Sentosa had gone for more than 15 years without a resolution.
Council sources said if the deal pulls through it will enable council to buy three mobile treatment plants, pumps for Morton Jaffray Treatment Plant and the Prince Edward Plant.
It is understood that the city wants one of the mobile treatment plants to be stationed at Upper Manyame to serve areas such as Glenara, Budiriro, Mufakose, Glen View, Glen Norah, Mufakose and Highfield.
The other plant will be stationed at Gletwyn Dam which is earmarked to supply northern suburbs, most of which have been receiving erratic water supplies like Glen Lorne, Glenwood and Shawasha Hills.
The last one will be at Mazowe Dam earmarked to supply water to Borrowdale, Hatcliffe, Mt Pleasant, Vainona, Avondale and surrounding areas.
Addressing delegates at the City of Harare peer review session at Town House yesterday Eng Chisango said the water situation in Harare remain dire owing to pumping capacity as well as the water sources.
“Harare has had several water and sanitation infrastructure projects, but these have not solved the challenges we are facing.
“Currently, we are implementing a water demand management system because the water is not enough. We had a poor rainy season and demand continues to outstrip supply,” he said.
“What is needed, therefore, is investment in new water sources.”
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