Innocent Ruwende Senior Reporter
The water supply situation in Harare is improving, with the city now pumping 250 megalitres per day of water, up from 100 megalitres per day after council received another consignment of chemicals. Harare is also mulling setting up a chlorine dioxide plant at Morton Jaffray (MJ) which will eliminate the need for at least three of about eight chemicals that it is using at the moment.
Harare requires up to eight chemicals to make its water potable and all the chemicals used at the plant require foreign currency as most of them are imported, except for liquid aluminium sulphate which is produced locally.
The main chemicals used by Harare to treat water are aluminium sulphate (“sulphuric acid”), HTH chlorine and activated carbon.
Harare Mayor Councillor Herbert Gomba yesterday said the situation was stabilising, albeit gradually.
“We received aluminium sulphate, which is enough for two weeks, and we are hoping to receive HTH chlorine today (yesterday), that plus the chlorine gas we received has enabled us to improve pumping to 250 megalitres per day,” he said.
“We can only go up to 300 megalitres and beyond if we get more chemicals. Soon, council will meet to consider a report from Town Clerk Engineer Hosiah Chisango that deals with building a chlorine dioxide plant at MJ to ensure we start using that chemical which does the same job as the three chemicals we use.
“We were using it in the pre-purification process in order to stabilise the pH water quality, removal of algae and bacteria.”
Clr Gomba said the city was open to working with fibre optic companies to create a synergy, that benefits all involved.
He said the network companies can install their fibre cables parallel to the city’s water and sewer infrastructure and replace Harare’s ageing water pipes which are causing leakages in a win-win arrangement.
“This is why we are making the call to working with corporates, particularly those in the communications sector,” said Clr Gomba. “I also call upon all residents to participate in the transformation of the city, as this is a collective responsibility.
“This is the need for now, this is a call to service and sacrifice, a call to volunteerism, a call to bystanders and desktop typewriters to come and join us, through ideas and participation.
“We shall overcome as long as we work together and meet our obligations timeously.”