Water quality in Harare an issue- Harare Resident Trust

Harare Residents Trust has said water quality in the capital city has become an issue of concern with the residents.

"Residents have raised concern over the water disconnections for outstanding debts. In communities where water supplies are erratic, the residents have taken the initiative to drill boreholes, sunken unprotected shallow wells, or fetch water from nearby polluted streams like Mukuvisi River, compromising community health," said the trust. "The quality of water has become an issue with most residents who question why drinking water has visible impurities."

He said the HRT recognises that water is a right to be enjoyed by every citizen irrespective of economic and social status.

"The quality of water should meet the basic standards set by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and should be visibly clean to inspire confidence in the consumers,"  said the trust.

"It shall be the policy of the HRT to lobby and demand from the City of Harare for the removal or scrapping from its water budget fixed water charges as this has disadvantaged thousands of water consumers in high and low density areas.
The HRT shall as a matter of policy demand accurate meter readings as basis for the costing of water consumed by residents and will do everything in its power to denounce estimate water charges."

The trust said it shall be the policy of the HRT to demand from Central Government and the local authority the availability of a minimum of 20 litres of water for domestic use by each citizen in terms of the UN General Assembly

"Where a resident/ratepayer has been disconnected, it shall be the responsibility of the local authority to provide the affected citizen with their 20 litres of water daily until the water is restored, in line with the UN standards. Zimbabwe is a signatory to that resolution and the local authority cannot work against the fulfilment of a national commitment," said the trust.

"In the case of the above not being fulfilled, the HRT shall pursue litigation in the public interest to ensure compliance.  The HRT shall hold the City of Harare responsible for the replacement and or repair of dysfunctional water meters. It is not the responsibility of a resident to buy a water meter as a replacement for a dysfunctional one. Where a resident has been asked to buy own water meter, the HRT expects that the City of Harare's bill will reflect the purchase of the meter which remains council property."

The trust said the maintenance of the water and sewerage reticulation infrastructure, especially boreholes sunk by international NGOs and UNICEF, is the responsibility of the City of Harare