By Correspondent
Harare City Council has commissioned 3 000 taps in Hopley, Harare South in a move also aimed at curbing cholera.
Harare Mayor Jacob Mafume said their target is to put 9 000 taps by the end of August.
“There is water, it’s not adequate yes, but we have it and these folks have it 6 days a week.
“Anyway it’s our commitment under the whole of government approach, I do not govern alone without central government.
Mafume reassured residents that the water is safe for consumption.
“We supply water to close to a million people.
“Harare, Chitungwiza, Norton, Ruwa and Epworth.
“They have no resources nor money to boil water all of them, we just have to supply potable water,” he said.
The project is being funded by the Embassy of Netherlands through an entity called Vitens.
Vitens is the biggest Dutch drinking water company.
The Dutch Ambassador to Zimbabwe, Margret Verwijk, said so far over 2000 households have access to the water.
Cholera Hotspot
With a population of approximately 80 000 according to the 2022 Census report, Hopley remains saddled with both water and sanitation challenges.
During the cholera outbreak early this year Harare South recorded 850 cases of cholera while 14 people succumbed to the diarrhoeal disease during the same period.
Cholera remains a problem in informal settlements as they lack adequate water and sanitation infrastructure.
