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Blessings Chidakwa

Municipal Reporter

Harare City Council has been losing huge amounts of treated water for close to two weeks following a pipe burst in the Willowvale industrial area during a water disconnection blitz.

Despite the council using a huge chunk of forex to buy essential water treatment chemicals monthly, the loss of water through bursts has now become a common feature across the city.

Our news crew visited the site in Willowvale, where Lamas chief security officer Mr Trust Dhibha said the burst occurred on March 16.

“Some council officials, including municipal police, came to deliver water bills and they tampered with the meter, resulting in a pipe burst which we witnessed shortly after they left,” he said.

“We immediately called them back and they returned the same day in the afternoon and told us not to tamper with the burst as their officials would come and attend to it. They never showed up until today, yet treated water is being lost.”

Mr Dhibha said after seven days, a letter of complaint was written to the council.

“The situation is bad to the extent that the water was now flowing towards our septic tanks, affecting the sewer system, leading to blockages,” he said. “We had to divert the water outside our premises.”

Harare City Council spokesperson Mr Michael Chideme yesterday said, “All bursts across the city are currently being attended to, including the one you are talking about.”

The city also recently lost thousands of cubic metres of treated water in Sunningdale suburb following the burst of three mains water pipes in the area, resulting in residents spending nearly a week without supplies.

When our crew visited the area, water was observed freely flowing all over the place in Sunningdale 1 and 2, with the most visible flow from leaks along Ardbennie Road.

The area was a hive of activity as people were seen doing laundry on the streets using the flowing water, while a handful others were seen carrying water containers and fetching water flowing on the streets.

Some kids were also observed swimming along Philipps Circle in the middle of the road where the water was stagnant due to clogged drains.a