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Harare to brace for water cuts
Combined Harare Residents Association (CHRA)
November 12, 2010

Harare residents will have to brace up for worse water woes after a haulage truck hit the Alex pipeline along Josiah Tongogara which supplies the city centre as well as the western suburbs that include Dzivarasekwa, Mabelreign, Kuwadzana, Westlea, Warren Park and Kambuzuma. The accident occurred around 6am this morning after the haulage truck veered off the road, hit the pipe and overturned. Tens of thousands of cubic meters of treated water were gushing out of the dislocated pipe while a number of residents helplessly looked on.

CHRA spoke to the Director of Harare Water, Engineer Zvobgo, who pointed out that water would be disconnected from the main reservoirs so as to pave way for the repair of the damaged pipe. He said that a lot of water had already been lost and it is going to take some time for the reservoirs (especially the one at Warren Hills) to be re-filled. This means that most suburbs in Harare, including the city centre, will have to go without water supplies for the next few days. The Harare Water Engineers were still trying to close the reservoirs and stop pumping of water to the damaged pipe; two and half hours after the accident took place.

The incident comes at a time when most residents were already complaining of water shortages with suburbs like Mabelreign getting erratic supplies usually during the late night hours. The City of Harare has also been complaining of the high costs of treating water and the loss of the tens of thousands cubic meters of treated water is nothing short of a disaster for both the Harare Water and residents.

The Combined Harare Residents' Association urges the City of Harare to step up its efforts to rectify the problem so as to save residents from prolonged water cuts. CHRA remains committed to advocating for good, transparent and accountable local governance as well as lobbying for quality and affordable municipal services on a non partisan basis.

Visit the CHRA fact sheet

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