Suburban
The City of Harare’s Environmental Management Committee has tasked acting Harare town clerk, Engineer Phakamile Moyo to ensure that the power cuts by ZESA in June this year which saw water supply being cut off for two days owing to a debt of $1billion do not happen again.
Diana Nherera Suburban Reporter
It was agreed that if it were to occur, the highest corporate levels at ZESA and the City of Harare must be engaged before the switching off of power at water treatment plants.
According to a service delivery report for June this year, Eng Moyo confirmed that meetings were held between the municipality and the power utility to ensure no such thing happens again.
“The acting town clerk confirmed that meetings were subsequently held at the highest corporate level and that no such action was going to recur prior to such engagement,” reads the service delivery report.
According to the report, ZESA on June 17 switched off councils’ water production plants including Warren Control due to non-payment of electricity bills.
“A quick resolution was however implemented averting a potential disaster.
“However, intermittent power cuts were experienced that month, which also affected production” reads part of the report.
The report further states that the acting town clerk would find out the amount owed by ZESA to council and vice versa and a meeting would be held regarding the matter.
“An update which also covered the assets owed by ZESA would be submitted to the finance and development committee for consideration,” said the report.
Daily water supply has increased in Highlands, Greendale, Sentosa, Mt Pleasant and Borrowdale, according to the report.
A recent City of Harare budget performance review meeting heard that the city is struggling to service its ZW$1,99 billion ballooning electricity debt largely emanating from water purification at Morton Jaffray Water Works.
