Munyaradzi Doma
The Harare City Council will procure mobile water treatment plants for ZW$375 million to mitigate perennial water challenges.
In an interview with The Anchor, Harare City councillor Luckson Mukunguma, who is also the finance and development committee chairperson said the plants will be for suburbs which have not had any water for many years.
Areas such as Tafara, Mabvuku, Greendale and some parts of Msasa have gone for years without running water in the houses.
“We resolved that as council we will procure mobile water treatments plants for ZW$375m because we want to mitigate the perennial water challenges that we have been facing.
“We are looking at suburbs like Borrowdale, Sentosa, Mabvuku, Tafara where there has not any water for like 15 years.
“As you know we have also been supplying water bowsers so as to ease the water challenges because we are aware our residents are not getting adequate supplies,” he said.
Mukunguma said to further alleviate the water challenges facing residents, the Audis plant at Morton Jaffray Water Treatment Plant will also be given due attention next year.
Presenting the council’s 2020 budget, Mukunguma also announced that the Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) programme will be prioritised.
“Water is a constitutional right and your council will ensure that the water situation is addressed. We are committed to giving new hope in the water sector. The Water and Sanitation and Hygiene is at the core of service delivery programmes,” he said.
In the WASH programme, Harare budgeted ZW$63.98m for solid waste, ZW$872,4m for water services and ZW$548,4m for waste water management.
“As we strive to be a smart City we are aware of the need to manage wastewater effectively and as such part of the allocation will be channelled towards the optimisation of our sewer treatment plants that is Firle and Crowborough Sewage Works.
“Efforts will be made towards the rehabilitation of our farms which are critical in the waste water treatment process.”
