Bulawayo residents complain over foul-smelling water

RESIDENTS of Bulawayo's high-density suburbs have raised concern over brownish, smelly water coming out of their taps, saying this could expose them to water-borne diseases.

The residents said the problem started last week after having gone for several weeks without running water.

The city is currently experiencing an acute water shortage due to depleting reserves at its supply dams, with three of them already decommissioned. Residents of Mpopoma said when they got water last week, they discovered that it had a brownish colour which suggested high-level of contamination.

Thabo Hadebe said they suspected that the water could have beeen contaminated as it had a bad odour, adding that this was the second time in a month that they had received such foul-smelling water.

He said council had collected samples for testing, but was yet to release the results.

"There was no water in the suburb, but when it was restored, it had a brown colour. I discovered that it had sewage contamination after which I called the city council health officials who came and collected samples for the second time in a month," Hadebe said.

This is not the first time residents have complained about water contamination. Recently water contamination claimed 12 lives in Luveve high-density suburb.

Council's health services director Edwin Sibanda said he would make a follow-up on the issue.

"I will check," Sibanda said.