Demanding improved water quality and availability

9 May 2019

Community Water Alliance is greatly disappointed by ineffectiveness of City of Harare’s cocktail chemicals to address water quality issues within Harare Metropolitan Province.

Despite the demand of US$3 million on a monthly basis, the ten chemicals required by City of Harare do not guarantee quality water out of the tap.

Community Water Alliance is reliably informed that the chemicals are failing to achieve the desired outcome of quality water for citizens, even if raw water from Lake Chivero is mixed with raw water from Darwindale dam.

It is alleged that algae in the water supplied by City of Harare causes colon cancer. In line with such health threats, Community Water Alliance will steer citizens in Harare Metropolitan Province to demand improved water quality, reduced water purification costs and replacement of the ten concoction chemicals with viable cost effective options that guarantee improved water quality.

Mobilisation of citizens will be run under the banner of #WaterQualityFootPrint, a campaign that will galvanize citizens to demand two urgent things from City of Harare, Ministry of Local Government and the Tender Procurement Board which falls under the Office of President and Cabinet:

1. Replacement of the ten chemicals that include chlorine dioxide, a chemical that proved efficiency and effectiveness during the February 2019 test run at Morton Jaffray. We are ready to face tender-preneurs who have for long fought this worth initiative.
2. Preservation of wetlands to improve raw water quality and recharging of streams feeding into Lake Chivero.

Any institution and tier of government that constructs a wall between clean water and citizens will be an enemy of life, health and enjoyment of the right to water.