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Belvedere residents go for a week without water
Combined Harare Residents Association (CHRA)
October 08, 2007

The Combined Harare Residents Association (CHRA) is increasingly worried over the water situation in Harare. This follows reports by residents in Belvedere that they have gone for a week without water. Residents complain that they have failed to do their daily chores as a result of the situation. The situation is even more appalling for families with infants. Children have had to go to school without bathing as the little water available is reserved for cooking. CHRA fears that the water situation is slowly deteriorating as has happened in Mabvuku and Tafara. In this area residents have not received running water for 6 months.

CHRA ward five member, Mr Dullab is coordinating petitions to the Zimbabwe National Water Authority (ZINWA) over the water situation in the area. Other areas in Harare like Budiriro, Dzivarasekwa, Glen View and Kambuzuma have also complained on the water situation with residents going for days without water. When it does come it has no pressure and is muddy. Ironically, residents received ballooned bills of between 5 million and 25 million Zimbabwe dollars. ZINWA hiked its rates backdated to August 1 2007 after it forwarded to cost of reticulation to residents. CHRA has condemned these increases as unjustified as there is no corresponding increase in the quality of water service provided.

Water problems in Harare surfaced when the Zimbabwe Government ordered ZINWA to takeover sewer and water administration from the City of Harare. The water authority has failed to provide adequate and clean water supplies. CHRA continues to lobby government and Parliament to rescind on its decision as there is amply evidence that ZINWA has failed. There is enough evidence that ZINWA cannot run water affairs in Zimbabwe, it has no financial and technical capacity. Various sections of the Zimbabwean society, parliamentary committees and civic bodies continue to expose the incapacity of ZINWA to run water affairs.

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