Suburban
THE water crisis in Harare seems to be getting worse as several western and northern suburbs have reportedly not been receiving council tap water since last weekend when the City of Harare shutdown Morton Jaffray water treatment plant.
Peter Tanyanyiwa Suburban Reporter
Some residents have even gone for longer periods without council tap water and rely on boreholes or buying from bulk water suppliers.
In Ward 18 areas which include Binton Road, Greystone Park, Glen Lorne and Hogerty Hill were not receiving water earlier this week and residents are worried if the water woes in the capital are ever going to end.
Some Harare West suburbs were reported to have council water supplies but the water was not reaching houses as it was being lost as a result of numerous burst water pipes.
On Friday last week, the City of Harare announced the shutting down of the Morton Jaffray Water Treatment Plant from 16000 hours on Friday April 22, 2022 to Sunday April 24, 2022 to facilitate the replacement of a feeder pipe and installation of some valves at Warrant Control.
“We are shutting down the Morton Jaffray water Treatment Plant today from (1600hrs) to Sunday 24 April 2022 (1400hrs).
“The plant closure is to allow for the replacement of a corroded reservoir feeder pipe and installation of reservoir, suction and discharge valves at Warren Control.
“The works are expected to increase the number of pumps installed at Warren Control. This will increase the amount of water pumped to households.
“During the shutdown other works that include repair works on trunk mains will be done to reduce physical water losses currently obtaining in the system,” council said in a statement.
On Monday this week the municipality was compelled to reassure Harare residents that it will resume pumping water to households late on Monday April 25, 2022.
In a statement, council said that it faced unprecedented challenges at Warren Control that disrupted its plans to resume pumping as scheduled.
“Dear residents, we apologise for the late resumption of water supplies to households.
‘‘ We faced unprecedented challenges at Warren Control which made it difficult to resume pumping last night (Sunday night). We expect to start pumping late today (Monday),” said council on Monday.
Residents have said that it is ironic that some suburbs are begging council tap water while the water is gushing to waste due to burst water pipes in other suburbs.
Council has been urged to replace old and rusty steel pipes and replace them with PVC pipes as it losing more treated water through burst water pipes.
“City of Harare you always disappoint. You have not rectified the situation if some parts of Harare still do not have water supply. You are not addressing our grievances at all,” said Sihle Moyo.
Glen Lorne residents have no water since the shutdown at the water treatment plant.
“We normally receive municipal water on Mondays in Glen Lorne, but we did not receive any on Monday 25th of April.
‘‘Does the councillor or anyone have information on why we did not receive any on Monday,” said a Glen Lorne resident.
Residents from Harare West were reporting water leaks in some suburbs of the area including in Westgate.
“There is a burst water pipe along Ruzambo in Westgate. It’s been like that for almost a week now, lots of water gushing out, if you can assist,” said a Westgate resident.
