Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development
Minister Dr Anxious Masuka announced the committee yesterday as the Second
Republic goes overdrive to solve Harare’s water woes.
The move is part of the general drive by President
Mnangagwa and the Government to ensure that there are adequate water supplies
in all towns and cities and rural and urban centres so residents get water on a
sustainable basis.
This dovetails with President Mnangagwa’s vision that the
Second Republic will carry out a national rehabilitation programme of all water
purification plants, and construct Gwayi-Shangani, Mutange, Musami and Kunzvi
dams and the Wenimbi pipeline.
In a statement yesterday Minister of Lands, Agriculture,
Fisheries, Water and Rural Development Anxious Masuka said: “In terms of
section 6 of the Water Act, Government has appointed a technical team to assist
the city of Harare to resolve water challenges currently troubling the capital,
the bulk water challenges, conveyance issues, treatment works problems.
“Last week President Mnangagwa directed that we put in
three immediate measures. The first one was to purchase one-month worth of
chemical to treat water in Harare. The Ministry of Finance, Economic
Development and Investment Promotion will be working closely with the technical
team to ensure that the chemical is available so that we get treatment from the
current 303 megalitres to 520 megalitres a day.
“The President also directed that we dedicate a drilling
rig to the city of Harare. The Minister of State and Devolution for Harare
Metropolitan will be coordinating this effort but the dedicated rig is under
the Zimbabwe National Water Authority,’’ he said.
Members of the technical committee were competent
Zimbabweans from several institutions so that they complement this effort. This
would ensure that Harare had additional ideas about how to resolve the
challenges in a more sustainable manner, said the minister.
“The terms of reference for the committee are to increase
and maintain water production to around 520 ML/day and reduce non-revenue water
from 59 percent to 55 percent. They will ensure improved potable water supply
coverage in the city from 40 percent to 60 percent. They should recommend the
institutional strengthening required to improve water and sanitation service
delivery.”
More than 300 boreholes have been established in Harare to
alleviate water challenges as President Mnangagwa’s initiative continues to
deliver potable water across the country.
Besides the 35 000 village boreholes, Government is
targeting 1 000 boreholes under the Presidential Borehole Drilling Scheme which
will be drilled in urban areas particularly hotspots of water-borne diseases.
This follows failure by opposition-led councils to provide
basic services such as potable water to urban dwellers, opening the doors to
the spread of diseases such as cholera.
Residents in Harare have welcomed Government’s initiative
to establish a technical committee saying it will alleviate water challenges in
various parts of the city and will ensure a decline in the spread of diseases.
Mrs Marita Muriro of Hopley said borehole drilling is a
welcome development in her area but appealed to the authorities to speed up the
process adding that they are relying on water sources such as wells.
“So far we rely on wells, our boreholes are still under
construction. We also appeal if we can have tap water here. Some of our wells
are not well covered and this might lead to the spread of diseases,’’ he said.
Another resident from Hopley Mr Clemence Mushubi thanked
the Government for the timely response following an outbreak of cholera.
“We are happy that our Government has intervened quickly
because without water we cannot do anything at all. I’m sure cholera cases will
go down if we get adequate water supply,’’ he said.
Another resident, Mrs Memory Mugoni, echoed the same
sentiments, saying the boreholes had brought relief to Epworth.
“We would like to thank our benevolent President for
drilling boreholes in this area. We are very happy because when we used to
visit wells to fetch water we would spend the whole day queuing to fill up a
20-litre bucket,” she said.
Mrs Barbra Machingauta said the boreholes have brought
convenience in Epworth as they have not been receiving water for a long period.
“Our President is doing wonders. He is working hard to make
sure that people’s concerns are addressed. We women used to have a heavy burden
of carrying buckets in wheel barrows and pushcarts to go and fetch water from
unprotected sources, but now we have boreholes which provide clean and safe
water,” she said. Herald
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