Staff Reporter
Harare City Council (HCC) is grappling with a water supply crisis, producing only 300 megalitres of water daily against the city demand of 1 000 megalitres, due to operational challenges at its water and sewage treatment plants.
This situation was highlighted during a recent tour of the Morton Jaffrey Water Works and Firle Sewage Treatment Plant by a technical committee tasked with addressing the crisis.
Acting Town Clerk Engineer Phakamile Mabhena Moyo attributed the shortfall to the high cost of treating heavily polluted water from Lake Chivero and aging infrastructure.
“For Harare, we are currently treating water at Morton Jaffrey but not operating at full capacity. While our installed capacity is 614 megalitres, we are only producing 300 megalitres. This is due to the high cost of treating water and malfunctioning chlorifiers that require repairs,” said Engineer Moyo.
The crisis is compounded by inefficiencies at the city’s sewage treatment plants.
Firle Sewage Treatment Plant, for instance, is operating below its 234 megalitre capacity, processing only 72 megalitres daily.
Director of Water Works, Engineer Tapiwa Kunyadini, noted that outdated equipment has significantly reduced their output.
“Our sewage treatment works are far from full capacity, with production at just 72 megalitres out of a potential 176 megalitres per day,” he explained.
To address the water woes, Harare’s Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Senator Charles Tawengwa, emphasized the need for both immediate and long-term solutions.
“We have identified challenges, including equipment failures and power supply issues. Our next step is to formulate solutions that will improve water supply in the city,” he said.
The ongoing Presidential Borehole Drilling Programme, which has been implemented in both urban and rural areas, has alleviated some of the pressure by improving residents’ access to clean water.
However, the city’s reliance on boreholes is not a sustainable solution for the growing population.
As Harare battles aging infrastructure and pollution, the call for urgent investment in modern water treatment technologies and sewage management systems grows louder.
Addressing these challenges is crucial to ensuring reliable water supply for the capital’s residents.
