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Herald Reporter

LOCAL authorities will soon be compelled to buy locally produced water treatment chemicals as Government continues to build capacity for the manufacture of chemicals needed in the water purification process.

Speaking at the official opening of the Zimphos fertiliser blending plant in Msasa, Harare yesterday, President Mnangagwa said the importation of water treatment chemicals would soon be a thing of the past.

“I am informed that we actually have the capacity in this country to produce chemicals which treat our water. Government is going to support wholeheartedly this initiative. I give this warning to those who are still importing water chemicals from abroad that will soon be coming to an end for we should be able to produce our own chemicals to treat our own water,” he said.

President Mnangagwa said local production of water treatment chemicals would save the country huge amounts of foreign currency currently being channelled towards imports.

The City of Harare alone spends millions in foreign currency to import a cocktail of water treatment chemicals due to the high levels of pollution in Lake Chivero — the main source of water for the capital city.

However, Harare City council has been failing to meet water demand as a result of a shortage of these chemicals.

On August 4, the local authority said it was facing chemical supply challenges which were affecting water supplies to all suburbs.

“The City of Harare wishes to advise residents and all stakeholders that due to unprecedented chemical supply challenges, Morton Jaffray Water treatment plant will be temporarily shut down for a least 48 hours commencing last night. There will be disruptions in water supplies while modalities are being worked to restore normal services within the indicated period,” the city said in a public notice.

By August 22, there had been no significant improvement in the supply of water treatment chemicals to the local authority.

Yesterday, Harare City Council said it was pumping 302.6 mega litres of water per day, which is less than the required 400 mega litres to meet daily needs.

With Zimphos already producing aluminium sulphate for water treatment, sulphuric acid and other industrial chemicals, President Mnangagwa said it was important for all local authorities to tap into this capacity.

Chemplex acting chief executive Mr James Chigwende said there were plans to channel US$45 million towards the production of water treatment chemicals by the end of next year.

Of this, US$31 million would be channelled towards the installation of a hydrated lime plant while the Sulphuric Acid plant will need US$9 million, US$2 million for sprucing up the aluminium sulphate plant and another US$2 million for the sulphur dioxide plant.

The company will also venture into production of sodium silicate and activated carbon.

“We have an abundance of hydrated lime in Rushinga but we are currently importing hydrated lime from Zambia and South Africa. Our lime is of very good quality so once we put a plant in Rushinga, we can produce enough for the local market and export the surplus to neighbouring countries like Mozambique and others,” Mr Chigwende said.

“The aluminium sulphate plant at Zimphos also has a capacity of 72 000 tonnes of liquid aluminium sulphate, which is enough to supply Harare and all other local authorities.

“The local authorities countrywide use about 12 chemicals and immediately as Zimphos, we can supply all the aluminium sulphate (solid and liquid), sulphuric acid and we can quickly invest in the other five chemicals so that we can completely meet their needs.

“The City of Harare requires 44 000 tonnes of liquid aluminium sulphate, which we can supply and then the balance is solidified to supply other local authorities countrywide. However, at the moment the City of Harare

has ordered from us 50 percent of what they use on that particular chemical and we are supplying that in full.”

He said there were plans to install 52 Chlorine dioxide units at each water work plant in the country at a cost of US$2 million to do away with the need to import the chemical.

“We have a roadmap to achieve all this now that we have received Cabinet authority to do so. By mid-next year, we will be done with the chlorine dioxide plants. The Sulphuric acid plant however, requires a bit of time so we will need between eight to nine months to complete it.

“So far, we have spent $4 million on that project so we need a balance of US$9 million to complete it. By the end of next year, we should have managed to substitute the need to import all those chemicals,” said Chigwende.