Harare’s Mayor Muchadeyi Masunda last week said that the situation in Harare had reached alarming levels as there had been no investment in the water suppliers, leading to demand outstripping the available resources.
“It breaks my heart that I cannot supply water to the 4 million people in greater Harare. Our reservoirs have not been extended, we need to be producing 1200 mega litres of water daily but at Morton Jeffery we are producing 640 and the small dams produce only 100 mega litres, that is why most of you do not have water today,” said Masunda.
Residents of Harare are on high alert for yet another cholera outbreak. An estimated 4000 people died during the outbreak and today the conditions for many are ripening for disaster.
While the population has been increasing at an alarming rate with new suburbs such as Budiriro springing up, there has been no investment in reservoirs or in the construction of dams.
The Kunzvi dam project that was meant to bring additional water supplies to Harare and its hinterland remains a pipedream as the treasury has not availed resources to construct the dam.
In Chitungwiza, most people are relying on water from boreholes drilled by UNICEF and in extreme cases drinking from unsafe sources of water.
"We just have to make do with what is available because there is no water, some of the boreholes are now down because of overuse," said a resident from the town.
Because there are no water supplies residents have been reluctant to pay bills, incapacitating the city’s potential of delivering services.
Post published in: News