The Harare City Council says its water treatment plants are constantly undergoing rehabilitation as it targets producing 536 megalitres a day by the end of the year.
Acting Director of Harare Water Victor Musikavanhu said currently water production ranged from 390 megalitres a day to 410 megalitres a day. Said Musikavanhu:
We are targeting to produce 536ML/D by year-end hence the need for the ongoing rehabilitation of filters and clarifiers at Morton Jaffray Water Works.
He said load shedding by the country’s power utility, ZESA Holdings, at various pump stations within residential areas as well as isolation of various sections of the network is negatively affecting water supply coverage.
As a result, several suburbs are going for weeks without water and electricity.
Musikavanhu said the total water production for the month ending 28th February 2023 was 8 101 395 ML which was a slight increase compared to water production in the month of January 2023.
However, the local authority was still facing challenges with the supply of water treatment chemicals. Said Musikavanhu:
The chemical supply challenges were yet to be resolved as Zimphos was still to sustain Council’s daily aluminum requirements and work on the proposed Chlorine Dioxide technology was still to be completed.
He said the total chemical cost for December 2022 was US$971 024.89 bringing the average chemical cost for a cubic meter to US$0.12.
On sewer blockages, Musikavanhu said a total of 2 353 blockages were cleared out of a total of 2 415 blockages indicating 97.4 percent cleared chokes of reported blockages.
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