Water Crisis Looms in Harare

The City of Harare has temporarily shut down the Prince Edward Water Treatment Plant near Chitungwiza. The Harava and Seke dams, which supply water to the plant, have dried up.

This shutdown comes as the region deals with erratic rainfall caused by climate change and the recent El Niño weather phenomenon. These conditions have worsened the drought in Southern Africa.

In a public notice on Wednesday, the city announced that the Prince Edward plant will reopen once the dams refill during the upcoming rainy season. Rebecca Manzou, the Director of the Meteorological Services Department, said the SADC region expects normal to above-normal rainfall. This forecast gives residents hope as current water levels are critically low.

Many areas have seen boreholes run dry, both in the city and across the country. The city’s notice stated, “We have temporarily decommissioned the Prince Edward Water Treatment Plant near Chitungwiza. The Harava and Seke dams, which supply water to the plant, have dried up. We can no longer draw water from them.”

The plant will only reopen when the dams refill, likely in the coming rainy season. Areas most affected include Chitungwiza, Hatfield, Airport, Waterfalls, and Msasa. However, the city is working to boost water supplies to these areas from the Morton Jaffray Waterworks in Norton.

Recently, the central government gave the City Council US$25 million to buy water treatment chemicals. Yet, without enough raw water, residents in the affected areas will have to rely on the limited supply from Morton Jaffray, which is insufficient for the entire city.