HARARE City Council has decommissioned five pumps at the Morton Jaffray Waterworks to allow for refurbishment, a development that is set to worsen the city’s already precarious water situation.
REPORT BY MOSES MATENGA
The director for water, Engineer Christopher Zvobgo, yesterday said residents should brace for increased water shortages as a result of the exercise.
The refurbishment will take at least 10 months within which residents would have to cope with tight water supply, Zvobgo said.
“We have so far decommissioned some pumps to allow for refurbishment and water supply will be affected,” he said.
“We used to supply 600 megalitres and the effects of the decommissioning are now being felt. We are supplying 500 megalitres. We have decommissioned five pumps and work has already started. They (engineers) could not start without decommissioning those pumps.
“Within 10 months, the pumps will be on. These pumps have a lifespan of 30 years.”
The initial stage of the project is being funded to the tune of $3,3 million by Zim Fund, while the Chinese project for Morton Jaffray is being sponsored to the tune of $9,5 million.
- Chamisa under fire over US$120K donation
- Mavhunga puts DeMbare into Chibuku quarterfinals
- Pension funds bet on Cabora Bassa oilfields
- Councils defy govt fire tender directive
Keep Reading
The decommissioning of the five pumps began in May and yesterday, engineers had started working on them.
Council is currently losing at least 62% of its treated water to leakages and “non-revenue water”, that is water consumed from unmetered sources.
