$16m boost for city’s dry suburbs

Yeukai Karengezeka Municipal Correspondent

Harare residents living in areas that hardly access tap water are set to benefit from a $16 million grant to be extended to Harare City Council by the African Development Bank (AfDB).

The local authority will use the money to drill boreholes and install water kiosks in areas such as Harare South, Mabvuku and Tafara where residents will pay to access the water.

Acting Harare Water director Engineer Edmore Chawasemerwa confirmed the development and said they intended to drill at least 20 boreholes in each area.

“From the money that we have been promised by African Development Bank, it is mainly targeting to assist vulnerable communities,” he said.

“So, we are going to drill 25 boreholes in Harare South, then 20 each in Mabvuku, Tafara and Caledonia.”

Eng Chawasemerwa said beneficiaries will be using tap cards to access the water.

“We are going to develop boreholes in such a way that, for the beneficiaries to access water, one has to be in possession of a swipe card as a sign to show that one has paid to access the water,” he said.

“People should know that water is not for free, they have to pay for it. Water (from the boreholes) will need to be treated and when the borehole malfunctions, it will need to be attended to and this needs money.

“Council operates in a different manner as compared to non-governmental organisations which drilled boreholes, but could not continue maintaining them.”

Eng Chawasemerwa urged the intended beneficiaries to safeguard the boreholes from vandalism.

“The major challenge that we might face if this initiative becomes successful is vandalism,” he said.

“Therefore, I am appealing to these communities to utilise boreholes well so that they can continue to get the water.”

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