The Sunday Mail
Panashe Mabeza
Harare City Council is running a pilot project with the intention of setting up a water chemical manufacturing plant at Morton Jaffrey water works.
Every month, Harare City Council has been spending at least US$2,5million to import a cocktail of water treatment chemicals.
As a result of the high levels of pollution in the main Lake Chivero source and the exorbitant bill of treating it, the capital city is facing an acute shortage of water.
Manufacturing the water treatment chemicals locally might reduce pressure on the city’s coffers.
Harare Mayor Councillor Herbert Gomba said some companies had been invited to set up the chemical manufacturing plant. This was after the Procurement Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (PRAZ) had given the city fathers the green light to engage them.
“Due to the scarcity of foreign currency, we are facing challenges in procuring water chemicals,” said Cllr Gomba.
“We have decommissioned the Prince Edward plant.
“Companies with solutions to our problems have been invited to do a pilot project test with the intention of building a water chemical manufacturing plant at Morton Jaffrey water works,” he said.
Cllr Gomba said the city’s water crisis has been worsened by non-payment of bills as well as loss of the precious liquid through leakages from old water infrastructure.
He said the long term solution for the city’s water supply rests in the construction of Kunzvi and Musami dams.
“We have engaged Zinwa and central Government to expedite the construction of Kunzvi and Musami dams, which will be a solution to our water challenges” he said.
