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Daily water cuts for city
Walter Nyamukondiwa, The Herald (Zimbabwe)
September 10, 2004

http://www.herald.co.zw/index.php?id=35650&pubdate=2004-09-10

RESIDENTS of some suburbs in the capital city will have water supplies for only six hours a day following Harare City Council’s decision to introduce daily water cuts.

Under the new water management system, supplies to northern and southern suburbs will be disconnected every day from 3pm to 8.30am the following day.

The new programme replaces the 24-hour cuts that had become the norm in recent months and is tailored to ensure fair distribution of water.

It is has also been devised to allow the city’s water reservoirs to gain volumes while there is minimal use during the night.

However, residents of the affected areas, especially those who live alone and go to work from 8am to 5pm, are likely to have no water at all on a daily basis unless they make contingent arrangements.

This is because they would have no time to fill containers with water because supplies are disconnected at 3pm when they are still at work and resume the next day at 8.30am when they would have already left for work.

Suburbs that are affected include Meyrick Park, Alexandra Park, Ashdown Park, Matidoda Park, Milton Park, Highfield, Mabelreign, Gunhill, Westgate, Kensington, St Martins, Kuwadzana, Presidential Guard and Mount Pleasant and the area incorporating the Presidential Guard complex.

The other areas are Greendale, Kambanji, Warren Park, Msasa Park, Westlea, Waterfalls, Ruwa, Hatfield, Eastlea, Glen Lorne, Chisipite, Hillside, Chadcombe, Ruwa, Epworth and Zimre Park.

Harare has also reduced supplies to Chitungwiza in a reported measure to cut on consumption.

But The Herald understands the water supplies have been cut back because Chitungwiza owes the city an undisclosed amount.

Harare public relations manager Mr Leslie Gwindi said council hoped the new system would ease the problems currently being experienced by residents.

He said this was only a temporary arrangement while a lasting solution was being sought.

By late yesterday, most of the city’s reservoirs were very low, a situation attributed to the current hot spell. Most of Harare’s suburbs have been experiencing water problems which has been blamed on the ageing water reticulation equipment at Morton Jaffray Water Works.

Some areas such as The Grange, Chisipite, Msasa Park, Ruwa and Greendale have gone for days without supplies of the precious liquid.

In a related matter, some residents have called for the intervention of the Ministry of Health and Child Welfare as the situation has deteriorated.

Mr Thabani Moyo of Msasa Park said it was high time the health ministry intervened if a disease outbreak is to be avoided.

"Just imagine children being unable to use toilets. We have resorted to digging pits in our gardens which we use for relieving ourselves. Can you imagine the risk we are putting our children under?" he said.

He said residents in his neighbourhood were also contemplating holding a peaceful demonstration to show their frustrations with the way council is conducting its business.

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