Remember Deketeke
Municipal Correspondent
HARARE City Council has commissioned five new water pumps to bring water from Lake Manyame to the Morton Jaffray Water Treatment Plant at a cost of US$2 million, and expects the development to improve the consistency of water supplies to residents while reducing water treatment costs.
The new pumps, which replace those that stopped working in 2024, were procured with Government support, with President Mnangagwa playing a key role in facilitating their acquisition.
Speaking during the commissioning ceremony, Harare Mayor Councillor Jacob Mafume said the development would enable the city to draw more raw water from Lake Manyame, which has a larger capacity than Lake Chivero and lower pollution levels.
“As a city, we are delighted with the commissioning of these five pumps. They will help us draw water from Lake Manyame,” he said.
“Manyame is twice the size of Lake Chivero, with a capacity of 400 000 megalitres, while Chivero holds 200 000 megalitres. What this means is that we will get cleaner water from Lake Manyame and also use fewer chemicals.”
Clr Mafume said the use of water from Lake Manyame had already resulted in savings in the quantity of aluminium sulphate, commonly known as alum, used during water treatment.
Alum consumption had declined from about 100 tonnes to 83 tonnes per month, resulting in savings of approximately US$216 000 monthly.
“Even if we are to increase the amount of alum we are using, it also means that we will be able to produce more water and ensure a more consistent supply,” said Clr Mafume.
The city is targeting an increase in treated water production from the current 300 megalitres per day to 450 megalitres per day by the end of the year.
Achieving the target would enable each suburb to receive a more consistent water supply for up to four days, although the exact distribution would depend on the city’s water-supply schedule.
“This addition of these pumps will ensure that we reach our target as we move into the festive season,” he said.
He said the new pumps would improve the reliability of the Manyame-Morton Jaffray system and allow the city to more accurately determine the volume of water that could be delivered daily.
The rehabilitation project required considerable technical expertise, including the use of divers and extensive work by contractors to manage the water intake system.
Clr Mafume said the restored infrastructure would also help the city mitigate the effects of declining water levels in Lake Chivero during the dry season.
“One of our challenges during the dry season is the reduction of water levels in our reservoir, Lake Chivero. However, with Lake Manyame available, we can access additional water to help us manage the dry season,” he said. The first of the five pumps was commissioned in September, with the remaining pumps now operational as part of efforts to strengthen Harare’s water supply.
Source: Harare commissions pumps to boost water supply – herald
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