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Farirai Machivenyika, Harare Bureau

Government will extend assistance to towns and cities across the country to ensure predictable supply of potable water, with most of the local authorities facing challenges in supplying residents with the commodity.

This was said by President Mnangagwa in his address to the nation on Friday last week.

His statement followed the release of $37,3 million and US$2,2 million to Harare City Council to address the crippling water shortages that have affected the capital city in the past two weeks.

“I am happy that Government has swiftly moved in to arrest the deteriorating water supply and sewer services in Harare,” said President Mnangagwa. “This intervention will extend to other towns and cities.” 

President Mnangagwa said the sprouting of new suburbs not connected to water and sewer reticulation systems posed a health risk.

“A number of new settlements which have sprouted are still to be connected to water and sewer reticulation systems,” he said. 

“We, thus, run the risk of fresh outbreaks of water-borne diseases like cholera and typhoid, more so against the raging drought situation we find ourselves in as a country.” 

Government’s intervention in Harare followed a decline in the production of potable water from 450 million litres a day in March to around 200 million litres at the beginning of this month.

Harare requires approximately 800 million litres a day. 

“The release yesterday (Thursday last week) of $37,3 million in local currency and another US$2,2 million, as I directed should stabilise the water and sewer reticulation systems in our capital,” said President Mnangagwa.

“Central Government through the relevant ministry must immediately move in to support our municipal authorities in order to bring the situation under control before the start of the rainy season. No effort should be spared in tackling this very dire situation.” 

The erratic supplies of water in most cities and towns has been attributed to incompetence of the mostly MDC Alliance run councils.

Most councils have poor billing systems that have resulted in failure to collect revenue to procure water treatment chemicals and repair water and sewer reticulation systems.