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.” Herald
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