LOCAL authorities will soon be compelled to buy locally produced water treatment chemicals as Government continues to build capacity for the manufacture of chemicals needed in the water purification process.
Speaking at the official opening of the Zimphos fertiliser
blending plant in Msasa, Harare yesterday, President Mnangagwa said the
importation of water treatment chemicals would soon be a thing of the past.
“I am informed that we actually have the capacity in this
country to produce chemicals which treat our water. Government is going to
support wholeheartedly this initiative. I give this warning to those who are
still importing water chemicals from abroad that will soon be coming to an end
for we should be able to produce our own chemicals to treat our own water,” he
said.
President Mnangagwa said local production of water
treatment chemicals would save the country huge amounts of foreign currency
currently being channelled towards imports.
The City of Harare alone spends millions in foreign currency
to import a cocktail of water treatment chemicals due to the high levels of
pollution in Lake Chivero — the main source of water for the capital city.
However, Harare City council has been failing to meet water
demand as a result of a shortage of these chemicals.
On August 4, the local authority said it was facing
chemical supply challenges which were affecting water supplies to all suburbs.
“The City of Harare wishes to advise residents and all
stakeholders that due to unprecedented chemical supply challenges, Morton
Jaffray Water treatment plant will be temporarily shut down for a least 48
hours commencing last night. There will be disruptions in water supplies while
modalities are being worked to restore normal services within the indicated
period,” the city said in a public notice.
By August 22, there had been no significant improvement in
the supply of water treatment chemicals to the local authority.
Yesterday, Harare City Council said it was pumping 302.6
mega litres of water per day, which is less than the required 400 mega litres
to meet daily needs.
With Zimphos already producing aluminium sulphate for water
treatment, sulphuric acid and other industrial chemicals, President Mnangagwa
said it was important for all local authorities to tap into this capacity.
Chemplex acting chief executive Mr James Chigwende said
there were plans to channel US$45 million towards the production of water
treatment chemicals by the end of next year.
Of this, US$31 million would be channelled towards the
installation of a hydrated lime plant while the Sulphuric Acid plant will need
US$9 million, US$2 million for sprucing up the aluminium sulphate plant and
another US$2 million for the sulphur dioxide plant.
The company will also venture into production of sodium
silicate and activated carbon.
“We have an abundance of hydrated lime in Rushinga but we
are currently importing hydrated lime from Zambia and South Africa. Our lime is
of very good quality so once we put a plant in Rushinga, we can produce enough
for the local market and export the surplus to neighbouring countries like
Mozambique and others,” Mr Chigwende said.
“The aluminium sulphate plant at Zimphos also has a
capacity of 72 000 tonnes of liquid aluminium sulphate, which is enough to
supply Harare and all other local authorities.
“The local authorities countrywide use about 12 chemicals
and immediately as Zimphos, we can supply all the aluminium sulphate (solid and
liquid), sulphuric acid and we can quickly invest in the other five chemicals
so that we can completely meet their needs.
“The City of Harare requires 44 000 tonnes of liquid
aluminium sulphate, which we can supply and then the balance is solidified to
supply other local authorities countrywide. However, at the moment the City of
Harare
has ordered from us 50 percent of what they use on that
particular chemical and we are supplying that in full.”
He said there were plans to install 52 Chlorine dioxide
units at each water work plant in the country at a cost of US$2 million to do
away with the need to import the chemical.
“We have a roadmap to achieve all this now that we have
received Cabinet authority to do so. By mid-next year, we will be done with the
chlorine dioxide plants. The Sulphuric acid plant however, requires a bit of
time so we will need between eight to nine months to complete it.
“So far, we have spent $4 million on that project so we
need a balance of US$9 million to complete it. By the end of next year, we
should have managed to substitute the need to import all those chemicals,” said
Chigwende. Herald
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