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Mr Chideme

Innocent Ruwende Senior Reporter
Harare City Council has urged residents to store bulk water for critical use as the city is set to shut down its main water treatment plant Morton Jaffray Water Works for four days.

Contractors will be working on rehabilitating the water plant under the $144 million loan from China.

Council will provide water to key institutions like hospitals and clinics using bowsers during the period. The city’s acting corporate communication manager Mr Michael Chideme said Morton Jaffray Water Treatment Plant will be completely shut down on February 19 from 4pm to 8am on February 22.

“We will be installing three new (major) valves at the mixing chamber. The valves regulate flow into the water treatment plant.

“This exercise is meant to improve efficiency and reliability of water supplies. Before the shutdown, customers are urged to store bulk water for critical use only,” he said.

He said while all other suburbs will not access water during the shutdown, areas such as Sunnindale, parts of Mbare, Waterfalls, Hatfield and Chitungwiza will still be receiving water at reduced pressure.

Mr Chideme said the use of hosepipes remains banned in Harare.

A fortnight ago, the city shut down Morton Jaffray to allow for the installation of valves at the trunk mains to the central business district and Lochnivar and repair leaks at the treatment plant and mains.

Harare Mayor Bernard Manyenyeni said more shutdowns are expected if the city is to be able to complete its maintenance work.

“Work is progressing well at Morton Jaffray but a lot more still needs to be done. There will be need for more shutdowns as outlined in our communications to the residents. The teams will do all that is necessary to minimise the periods of water cuts,” he said.

Harare City Council is implementing the Harare Water and Sanitation Rehabilitation Project under the $144 million Chinese facility.

Work on the project began in April 2013 and the contractor, China’ Machinery and Engineering Corporation (CMEC), has completed various works.

Upon completion of the project, water supply is expected to rise to 670 mega-litres from 400 mega-litres. Harare needs at least 1 200 mega-litres for every household to have water everyday.