Bulawayo borehole water not safe to drink

THE Bulawayo City Council (BCC) has warned that borehole water in the city is not safe for consumption and has advised residents to boil it before drinking it as it is highly susceptible to contamination.

Since last month the local authority has been struggling to provide water to residents, with most of them drawing it from boreholes.

As a result of the acute water crisis, some suburbs have gone for more than a week with dry taps and to contain the crisis the council has reintroduced delivery of water using the bowser system.

BCC in council minutes released on Wednesday said residents should boil water accessed from boreholes as they can be contaminated by sewer.

"The Acting Director of Engineering Services reported (30th June, 2022) that borehole water was not treated water nor did Council have the capacity to treat or protect such water from contamination.

"In that regard, bacteriological quality of borehole water could not be guaranteed since the water was untreated and subject to contamination at any time from environmental factors like sewer overflows and bacteriological contaminated soil. Residents were therefore advised to boil borehole water before drinking it or using it for any domestic consumption," reads the minutes.

The council said Bulawayo has 346 boreholes in the city with 11 of them vandalised.

BCC said it was in the process of updating the status of solar powered boreholes.

Councillors raised concerns that the solar powered boreholes had been vandalised.

"Discussion ensued and Councillor  Mlalazi sought clarity on who was responsible for the repair of solar powered boreholes. Some had their solar panels stolen. Vandalism of boreholes had become serious.

"Alderman Earnest Rafamoyo requested for the provision of more boreholes. He suggested that Council re-engages partners in this regard. He further said that in the process of updating the status of the boreholes, the department should liaise with the ward councillor," reads the minutes.