Harare (New Ziana) – The City of Harare on Friday said its water production was currently at an all- time low, owing to shortages of treatment chemicals.
It said it was producing 200 million litres, against demand of 340 million litres per day.
The municipality attributed the decrease in water production to unavailability of chemicals, particularly aluminium sulphate, a major chemical needed in water treatment.
Supplies have been cut over a debt of $380 million.
“We are currently experiencing depressed water production and onward conveyance to customers owing to low stocks of the major chemical aluminium sulphate.
“We are presently receiving only two loads of the chemical instead of daily demand of six loads,” said the council.
To be able to pay for the needed water treatment chemicals, the council urged residents to pay their outstanding bills for services rendered.
“Council urges customers to pay for their municipal services including water to capacitate council to pay for the chemical supplies,” appealed the local authority.
The capital city has been grappling with severe water shortages which have seen some suburbs going for weeks without the precious liquid, exposing them to serious health hazards such as typhoid which broke out last week in Glen View.
Harare is, however, not the only town battling a water crisis as the country’s second largest city, Bulawayo resorted to pumping tap water to residents once a week since May this year largely owing to dwindling dam water levels due to successive droughts experienced in the country.
New Ziana
