Water crisis team gets fresh mandate
THE term of the technical team tasked in October last year by Government with solving the ongoing Harare water crisis has been extended by a further 100 days as the Second Republic works on both short-term and long-term solutions to ensure a steady supply of clean water for the largest metropolitan area.
The 19-member technical team chaired by University of Zimbabwe Civil Engineering lecturer Professor Hodson Makurira was appointed for 100 days last year in October, to solve Harare’s severe water problems.
While giving an update on the progress after an indoor meeting with the technical team Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development Minister Dr Anxious Masuka yesterday said the Government saw it fit to extend the term of the technical team following the lapse of their initial 100 days.
The meeting was also attended by Minister of Health and Child Care Douglas Mombeshora, Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution for Harare Metropolitan Province Charles Tavengwa, Finance, Economic Development and Investment Promotion Deputy Minister David Mnangagwa, the mayors of Harare, Chitungwiza and Norton and the board chairperson of Ruwa as well as other top Government officials.
Minister Masuka said that they were satisfied with the technical team’s work and anticipated that they would keep up the good job to maintain 520 megalitre/day production at both Morton Jaffray and Prince Edward water treatment plants. Although both plants fall under Harare City Council, they supply the whole metropolitan area.
“$10 billion was availed to the City of Harare to go towards procurement of chemicals and that’s equivalent to US$1,6 million so that’s the central Government assisting the City of Harare for this emergency cause.
“The city has also been able to mobilise its own resources to ensure that they ring fence up to 45 percent of rates revenue towards water. This has enabled an improvement in the generation of water at Morton Jaffray,” Minister said.
Government recently bought a onemonth supply of chemicals for the immediate relief of residents, which saw treated water production capacity increasing from 303ML/day to 520ML/ day.
As the immediate and medium term solution, Minister Masuka said the Muchekeranwa-Wemimbi-Marondera-Nora-Ruwa system was being revamped to supply additional water.
“The demand for Harare outstripped supply in 1995. The daily requirement is 1 200 megalitres and what we are able to supply is 520ML. We will then augment that through accelerated borehole drilling.
“We are also activating the Muchekaranwa system and the dam is complete, the pipeline has been tendered, a contractor has been found and the money is ready.
“We will then be able to supply water to Prince Edward and we will be able to do 75 or 78 ML/day at Prince Edward treatment works and will be able to do Ruwa and supply Mabvuku, Tafara etc.”
Minister Masuka said the Government was working to ensure that all major plants had an uninterrupted power supply.
“We discussed the power supplies and we said a team chaired by Deputy Ministers Vangelis Haritatos (of the water ministry) and David Mnangagwa (of the finance ministry) will engage Zesa and come up with a credible plan to ensure sustained power supply and also will address the legacy issues between Harare City and Zesa.”
The minister also emphasised the significance of putting politics aside and working together when it comes to national development.
“If we are confronted with challenges, we should work collectively in a non-partisan manner because cholera and typhoid will not know these boundaries, “he added.
Harare Mayor Clr Jacob Mafume commended Government Ministries for their contributions and promises to the City.
“We want to thank the Ministry of Child and Health Care for the efforts they have done to mitigate the impact of cholera in conjunction with various departments in our city council.
“The Deputy Minister of Finance was very clear that millions of dollars will be coming per month so that kind of effort is commendable,” he said.
The Government pledged to take further action to address the challenges facing Harare’s water system, as it recognised the urgency of the situation.
Government is working on building the Kunzvi-Musami Greater Harare water supply system with phase one being the construction of Kunzvi dam to the north east of the city and treatment works to supply 202ML/day. The Musami dam, to the south of Chitungwiza, will supply another 307 ML/day.
This will increase water supply to 1 213ML/day, enough to meet the projected demand of 1 200ML/day.