FAITH MADZINGA
Harare is losing 25% of its treated water through pipe leakages, the city has said, as it seeks to plug the holes in the transmission and distribution network.
The revelation by the city’s communications officer, Innocent Ruwende comes as some residents have not received running water in years.
“Water demand is outstripping supply. So in the short term, the city is prioritising non-revenue water reduction through reducing leakages in the transmission and distribution network,” Ruwende said.
He said the city council was rehabilitating the water treatment works with the view to increase capacity from the current 400 megalitres per day to 520 megalitres by the end of the year.
Ruwende also said the city of Harare city was targeting to reduce the physical losses of water from 25% to 15% through a pipe replacement programme.
Council also wants to establish district metered areas. Harare city council has piloted the concept in Sunningdale, Ashdown Park and Marimba.
Ruwende said: “This is where we establish and isolate an area and install valves and bulk meters to measure the incoming quantities of water into the area and do a monthly water balance by adding total number of consumer meter readings and equating with incoming flows in order to account for all the water that comes into the area and ensuring that it is paid for”.
This, Ruwende said will allow Harare City Council to determine revenue leakages and quantities of water losses.
This will also entail installation of new water meters in the area.
