Harare's primary water source now deadly for people

Former Harare Mayor Hebert Gomba has urged President Emmerson Mnangagwa to declare the contamination of Lake Chivero a state of national disaster, emphasizing the urgency of addressing the water crisis that is impacting millions of Harare residents. Gomba's call comes after the lake, the primary water source for Harare, was severely contaminated, causing widespread environmental and health concerns.

The contamination of Lake Chivero has become a major issue following a recent exposé by investigative journalist Mary Taruvinga, which revealed that the lake has been poisoned by cyanobacteria, primarily due to the continuous discharge of raw sewage by the Harare City Council. The situation has led to the deaths of several animals, including four white rhinos, and the deaths of thousands of fish. The Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (ZimParks) confirmed that the animals died after drinking from the contaminated water.

Upon visiting the lake, it was evident that the water had turned a thick green color due to an algae bloom, and a foul stench of rotting fish and sewage permeated the area. A large stretch of the lake was covered with layers of decaying fish, and some were still observed dying in the water. The environmental degradation, coupled with the loss of wildlife, has raised alarms about the health risks for residents who rely on the lake for drinking water.

In an X Space discussion on Wednesday night, Gomba stated that the scope of the contamination is beyond the capacity of the Harare City Council to handle and called for government intervention. "The City needs to be assisted. But it needs to be done in conformity with the law. My proposal is for the president to declare a state of national disaster," he said.

Gomba emphasized the need for a comprehensive approach to rehabilitate the water and sewage infrastructure. He suggested that the government should prioritize the refurbishment of the entire distribution system, which has been in a state of decay for years. He also pointed to the failure of the late former president Robert Mugabe's government to address the water crisis, particularly the unfulfilled construction of the Kunzvi and Musami dams, which were supposed to have been completed by 1990. These projects were intended to reduce Harare's reliance on Lake Chivero and allow for its decommissioning for cleaning.

"The City Council was not able to decommission Lake Chivero because Kunzvi was not built. It was supposed to be built in 1990," Gomba said. He further warned that significant investments are now required to address the infrastructure failures, including the development of new sewer systems in areas like Norton to prevent further contamination of nearby water bodies.

In response to the ongoing crisis, the government has taken precautionary measures, including banning fishing operations at Lake Chivero to facilitate investigations. ZimParks has also relocated the remaining rhinos from Lake Chivero Recreational Park to safer areas.

Harare Mayor Jacob Mafume acknowledged the severity of the situation and stated that the city would formulate a plan of action after a scheduled fact-finding visit. However, experts and environmentalists are urging that swift, large-scale intervention is necessary to prevent further environmental damage and safeguard public health.

As the situation continues to unfold, many are calling for immediate government action to restore the health of Lake Chivero and provide sustainable solutions for the city's water and sewage management challenges.