- ZESA disconnects Harare water treatment plant
- Mortan Jaffray owes over $1 billion in electricity bills
- Residents have been without water supply since the disconnection
The Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority (ZESA) has disconnected Harare’s water treatment plant, Mortan Jaffray, from electricity supply. The water treatment plant, according to ZESA, owes over $1 billion in electricity tariffs. The disconnection of the water treatment plant has left residents of Harare, Chitungwiza, Norton, Ruwa and Epworth local authorities without water supply.
The Harare city council has begun negotiations with ZESA, and an agreement has been reached on a repayment plan. The was confirmed by Town Clerk Engineer Mabhena Moyo. ”The debt is about $1 billion, and we have paid $50 million so far while committing ourselves to make a weekly payment plan. Electricity was switched on by lunchtime after negotiations, and we were expecting that water should be running by now (close of business yesterday)”, Moyo said.
The action of the ZESA has left thousands of residents exposed to unsafe water. This is, however, not the first time the plant is being disconnected for failure to pay electricity bills.