Harare's drinking water ‘unsafe’ due to chemical shortage

The mayor of Harare says a shortage of chemicals has resulted in unsafe water being pumped into residents’ homes for consumption in the Zimbabwean capital.

Bernard Manyenyeni told The Herald newspaper: “Our claims that the water is chemically safe to drink will not hold if residents cannot stand the sight of frothing or foaming coloured water.

“This has been caused by the shortage of our main chemicals — aluminium sulphate‚ sulphuric acid‚ HTH Chlorine and activated carbon.”

He explained that most chemicals were imported “and we have been caught in the crisis of forex”.

Borehole water in some Harare suburbs was recently condemned as unsafe for human consumption.

“We apologise and request our consumers to exercise caution until such a time as total quality is assured‚” he said.