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(HERALD) Chemicals shock for Harare

Chemicals shock for Harare
Municipal Reporter

Harare City Council is buying poor quality aluminum sulphate, a key water treatment chemical from Zimbabwe Phosphate Industries, town clerk Dr Tendai Mahachi has revealed.

Even after noticing the glaring quality shortcomings, the city continues to pump its meagre resources into Zimphos despite the availability of cheaper and better quality chemicals in South Africa. Efforts to get comment from Zimphos were unsuccessful at the time of going to press.

Council claimed that the poor quality chemical was causing frequent disludging, sand filter carryover and pump breakdowns.

Apart from consuming more electricity, the poor quality chemical affects drinking water quality.

Dr Mahachi made the revelations before the Cabinet Taskforce on Cholera last week during a routine meeting to assess the city’s preparedness in dealing with cholera should it occur.

"The quality of the aluminum sulphate we are buying from Zimphos keeps going up and down like a yoyo," he said.

He said the city had tried to buy directly from South Africa, but was blocked by middlemen with contracts with the suppliers.

The availability of clean water is a prerequisite in the fight against cholera.

Dr Mahachi said the city was forced to pay four times the price of chlorine gas supplied by a company called A.I. Davies suggesting that if council could buy directly, the cost would be reduced four-fold.

However, some suppliers interviewed said council did not have the funds to buy the chemicals directly from South Africa hence their involvement.

"The suppliers are not extending credit lines to councils yet. We have the funds, so we buy and resell. It is better to have the chemicals," said one of the suppliers.

An official with Harare Water said the city was failing to buy Algae Kill, one of the critical chemicals required in the treatment of potable water especially during the rainy season when the algae weed grows fast because of cashflow problems.

The war between council and Zimphos over the quality of the aluminum sulphate dates back to June 2004 after council blamed water shortages on sub-standard water treatment chemicals supplied by the company.

The city is inviting suppliers of water treatment chemicals for 2010 and it remains to be seen whether such tenders would not be awarded to companies that supply sub-standard chemicals.

Other suppliers feel the city should look into buying alternatives to aluminum sulphate, especially given the poor quality commodity from Zimphos.

Labels: HARARE CITY COUNCIL, SANCTIONS, ZIMBABWE PHOSPHORUS INDUSTRIES

posted by MrK @ 12:44 AM