THE City of Harare has set a ZW$95.559 billion budget for the refurbishment of Morton Jaffray water treatment plant to reduce foreign currency expenditure on the procurement of purification chemicals.
RUVIMBO MUCHENJE
In a budget statement presented by the chairperson of council’s Finance and Development Committee, Councillor Costa Mande, the construction of a chlorine oxide plant will significantly reduce the number of chemicals needed to purify water.
“Support water infrastructure and rehabilitation through construction of a chlorine dioxide plant at Morton Jaffray Water Works.
The project is expected to reduce the number of chemicals used in the purification of water. This will have a positive impact in the reduction of the cost of chemicals and the subsequent tariff. Rehabilitation of intake works at Lake Chivero and Darwendale will improve quality of raw water abstracted,” said Mande.
Harare currently uses about nine chemicals to purify water:
- Powdered Activated Carbon: Removal of odours;
- Liquid Aluminium Sulphate (Alum): Main coagulant for removal of suspended solids and colloidal matter;
- Gas Chlorine: Oxidation (control of algae) Disinfection (control of bacteria);
- Hydrated Lime: PH correction;
- Granular Aluminium Sulphate: Used as a substitute and/or to supplement liquid alumini[1]um sulphate;
- Calcium Hypochlorite (HTH): Substitute of gas chlorine (granular form);
- Sulphuric Acid: PH reduction to improve efficacy of alminium sulphate (also consumes sulphuric acid to prepare);
- Ammonia: Aids in residual chlorine reten tion; and
- Sodium Silicate: Coagulant aid to alumin[1]ium sulphate (also consumes sulphuric acid to prepare). The refurbishment will see a 42% increase in the water being pumped to residential areas.
“Refurbishment at Morton Jaffray, Prince Ed[1]ward and Warren Control will improve water production and pumping to 500 megalitres/day from the current average of 350 megalitres/day once complete.
Furthermore, interventions in the distribution network and installation of prepaid water meters will result in the reduction of non-revenue water by 3% and improve on revenue collection,” he added.
Harare’s estimated population of 4.5 million residents demands 1 300 megalitres. In the same statement, Mande urged council to capitalise on the growing informal sector to generate revenue for the local authority and national fiscus.
“The City of Harare needs to review and update by-laws and enforce to regulate activities and get the legal basis to collect revenue and fund service delivery. To this end, departments are currently reviewing their mandates to identify by-laws for reviewing and crafting new ones. This will ease the pressure on our mainstream tariffs that may burden our ratepayers,” Mande said.
“The general informalisation of the country has resulted in a growing underground economy. Informality has a huge bearing on the operations of the City. Council, with the aid of development partners, is making efforts to register these economic activities so that they contribute to the fiscus,”
The absence and lack of enforcement by the local authority has seen vendor stalls and tables being overtaken by political players. In recent days, Mbare has been a hotspot of violence over the control of Mupedzanhamo market.
“This sector has over the years, been characterised by political groupings battling for illegal control and dominance over space and infrastructure. The City has witnessed violent incidents in Mbare, there is need for political will across the divide for coordinated regulation and enforcement of the informal sector. This is critical as the nation prepares for the 2023 harmonised elections,” said Mande
