News / National
Harare, Chitungwiza meet over water crisis
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The Harare City Council (HCC) is set to hold a crucial meeting with Chitungwiza Municipality this week to address the ongoing water crisis in the dormitory town, which worsened following the decommissioning of the Prince Edward Water Treatment Plant in August. The meeting will also involve approaching the Government, specifically the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works, to seek solutions to the pressing water supply challenges.
Harare Mayor Councillor Jacob Mafume revealed that Chitungwiza is behind on its payments for water treatment chemicals, leaving HCC to bear the financial burden. "We are going to call for a meeting on Tuesday with the Chitungwiza Town Council and then we will proceed to engage the Government on the issues that we will have discussed," Mayor Mafume said in an interview with The Sunday Mail. He expressed the need for a collaborative solution involving both Chitungwiza residents and the Government to address the water issues.
The decommissioning of Prince Edward Water Treatment Plant was necessitated by the drying up of Harava and Seke dams, which supply water to the plant. As a result, water supplies to Chitungwiza have been drastically reduced, putting businesses in the town at risk of closure. According to Tendai Mareya, chairperson of the Chitungwiza Business Community Trust, businesses are now resorting to purchasing bulk water to stay operational.
"Way before the announcement, we were already having water challenges, and the situation has now worsened. We are now buying water from individuals and fetching water from unprotected sources so that our businesses continue running," Mareya said. Despite the lack of water, he noted, the municipality continues to charge businesses fixed water fees of around US$34 per month, leading to widespread frustration.
Mayor Mafume assured the business community that the water crisis is being treated as a priority and vowed that no businesses would close due to water shortages. "We are going to make sure that water is available… right into the rainy season," he said, adding that the decommissioning of Harava Dam has significantly impacted the supply to Chitungwiza.
He further explained that Harare's main water sources, Lake Chivero and Lake Manyame, are still adequately full, with Lake Chivero at 96% capacity and Lake Manyame at 87%. However, the challenge lies in efficiently conveying water to Chitungwiza, given the town's dependency on the now-decommissioned Prince Edward Waterworks.
The financial difficulties extend beyond Chitungwiza Municipality's arrears. Both municipalities are facing challenges with non-payment of water bills by residents. Last week, Chitungwiza Municipality launched a door-to-door debt collection programme, and Harare City Council has offered assistance with debt recovery efforts.
"They are having challenges in collecting water charges from their rates and not paying us," Mayor Mafume added, stressing that this has put undue pressure on Harare's residents, who are left footing the bill for water treatment chemicals. The mayor emphasized the need for swift action to ensure continued water supply to both towns.
Harare Mayor Councillor Jacob Mafume revealed that Chitungwiza is behind on its payments for water treatment chemicals, leaving HCC to bear the financial burden. "We are going to call for a meeting on Tuesday with the Chitungwiza Town Council and then we will proceed to engage the Government on the issues that we will have discussed," Mayor Mafume said in an interview with The Sunday Mail. He expressed the need for a collaborative solution involving both Chitungwiza residents and the Government to address the water issues.
The decommissioning of Prince Edward Water Treatment Plant was necessitated by the drying up of Harava and Seke dams, which supply water to the plant. As a result, water supplies to Chitungwiza have been drastically reduced, putting businesses in the town at risk of closure. According to Tendai Mareya, chairperson of the Chitungwiza Business Community Trust, businesses are now resorting to purchasing bulk water to stay operational.
"Way before the announcement, we were already having water challenges, and the situation has now worsened. We are now buying water from individuals and fetching water from unprotected sources so that our businesses continue running," Mareya said. Despite the lack of water, he noted, the municipality continues to charge businesses fixed water fees of around US$34 per month, leading to widespread frustration.
Mayor Mafume assured the business community that the water crisis is being treated as a priority and vowed that no businesses would close due to water shortages. "We are going to make sure that water is available… right into the rainy season," he said, adding that the decommissioning of Harava Dam has significantly impacted the supply to Chitungwiza.
He further explained that Harare's main water sources, Lake Chivero and Lake Manyame, are still adequately full, with Lake Chivero at 96% capacity and Lake Manyame at 87%. However, the challenge lies in efficiently conveying water to Chitungwiza, given the town's dependency on the now-decommissioned Prince Edward Waterworks.
The financial difficulties extend beyond Chitungwiza Municipality's arrears. Both municipalities are facing challenges with non-payment of water bills by residents. Last week, Chitungwiza Municipality launched a door-to-door debt collection programme, and Harare City Council has offered assistance with debt recovery efforts.
"They are having challenges in collecting water charges from their rates and not paying us," Mayor Mafume added, stressing that this has put undue pressure on Harare's residents, who are left footing the bill for water treatment chemicals. The mayor emphasized the need for swift action to ensure continued water supply to both towns.
Source - The Sunday Mail
