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Millions of litres of treated water lost while city engineers watch
Harare Residents' Trust (HRT)
March 14, 2011

The City of Harare has let down the residents of Sunningdale and nearby Hatfield by failing to deal decisively with the problem of a seriously damaged water reservoir in the Old Mutual (Truworths) complex, commonly known as the Prospect Industrial Park, located at corner Seke Road and Cranborne West Road.

HRT officials on Monday 14 March 2011 visited the scene of the burst and it was established that the reservoir burst out on Tuesday 8 March 2011 in the morning. A report was made to the City of Harare by the services department at Truworths complex. The City of Harare is said to have visited the spot on Tuesday in the afternoon and failed to stop the water link. The burst worsened to the extent that the residents of Sunningdale and Hatfield started experienced serious water shortages. Water supplies for the residents of Sunningdale were cut on Saturday 12 March 2011 in the afternoon. On Sunday the water cut continued which saw most residents fetching water from strange water sources.

Many residents walked a distance of about a kilometer to fetch water from the damaged reservoir which has developed into a deep pool. Millions of treated water liters have been lost and up to now water is still flowing along Cranborne West Road. Truworths workers claimed they had to divert the water from continuing to flood their premises into the road. This is treated water that is being lost, the same water that the City of Harare is claiming to be costing them millions of dollars to purify and treat for human consumption. The engineers who came to the site of the burst failed to repair the burst and left without indicating when they would return. Officials at the complex stated that the reservoir is losing out so much water and that a three follow-up reports have been made but nothing has been done. Who pays for all this lost water?

Visit the Harare Residents' Trust fact sheet

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