City of Harare will soon resume water production after securing chemicals to treat the life saving liquid.
The council had shut down the Morton Jaffray water treatment plant due to shortage of water treatment chemicals as well as low water levels at Lake Chivero.
Deputy Mayor Enock Mupamawonde, a fortnight ago had revealed that the council could not secure the water chemicals due to foreign currency shortages in the country..
Mupamawonde had said the authority, which was collecting ZW$15 million in monthly revenue needed at least ZW$40 million an equivalent of US$2,7 million.
Currently secured chemicals, which have already been paid for, will last for only seven days according to a notice by the city father.
“Pumping to residents will be progressive from one area to another. Western suburbs will begin to receive water 8 hours from production start while the CBD and Mbare, Highfield/Sunningdale will access water after 12 hours/midnight,” the council says.
“The other quantities are coming from Bulawayo and are expected to arrive this evening.”
“We are currently engaging all stakeholders that include Government to find lasting solutions.’
Responding to the water crisis in Harare, Community Water Alliance (CWA) is compelling the Government to declare water a national disaster.
The alliance says the declaration should happen in 48 hours.
“That should happen in 48 hours. We are therefore giving Government 48 hours to either make the declaration or face the wrath of a waterless society,” the alliance says.
“As citizens we declare water a national crisis riding on Section 3(2)(f) of the Constitution which obliges Government to respect the people of Zimbabwe from whom the authority to govern is derived.”
The President, who is currently in New York for the United Nations General Assembly or his Deputy are the only ones who have the authority to declare a state of emergency according to the Constitution of Zimbabwe.
Drought has been blamed for low water in in Harare’s supply dams and authorities are working on increasing the number of boreholes in the city despite the water table going down due to increased use of the underground water.
The council is suggests the building of dams as a long-term solution to the water crisis.
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