Water supplies in Harare are set to improve after the installation of new pumps at Morton Jaffray Waterworks at the weekend.

According to a report by The Herald, the new facility will increase production by 100 mega litres per day. About 450 mega litres were being produced, a figure now set to initially increase to 550 mega litres daily.

Most areas are expected to start receiving water by early this morning after supplies were cut on Friday to allow installation of the new pumps, the Herald reported

The repair work is part of a project under the US$9.5 million Zimbabwe Multi Donor Trust Fund Phase 1 grant from the African Development Bank.

Harare town clerk Dr Tendai Mahachi said the project involved replacement of pipes, pressure-reducing valves and equipment at the waterworks to increase water supply to 80 percent of the city’s requirements.

“The new pump will add on 100 mega litres of water per day. This will result in the Western suburbs receiving water daily. Harare consumes about 800 mega litres per day and currently, we are pumping 450 to 500 mega litres per day. Once we finish the whole programme of equipment replacement, we will go up to 700 mega litres per day,” he said.

Dr Mahachi said by January 25 western suburbs should be receiving enough water as pumping would have increased to an additional 160 mega litres per day.

“The new pumps are energy-efficient and they are going to reduce electricity requirements by 50 percent. The pumps are also reliable.

“We will have a very efficient water treatment works to ensure the people of greater Harare get good service.”

He said all the worn out pumps would be replaced because they were beyond their lifespan.

–The Herald