Victoria Falls sewer system condemned

The Victoria Falls City Council has come under fire after it was found to be discharging substandard raw effluent into a nearby river, in violation of environmental regulations - a revelation that has raised serious public health and environmental concerns. This is according to the Auditor General's latest report on local authorities for the 2024 financial year.

The report paints a disturbing picture of negligence and non-compliance, highlighting that the council's sewer reticulation system failed to meet environmental standards. As a result, untreated wastewater was being offloaded directly into natural water sources.

"The council's sewer reticulation system was not operating as per environmental management legislation," the report read. "The council was disposing of low standard effluent into the nearby river."

The Environmental Management Agency (EMA) responded by fining the local authority ZWL$12.58 million for the violation.

The report also flagged the council's use of an unregulated dumpsite instead of a formal landfill, which is required under the Environmental Management Act [Chapter 20:27], First Schedule 11(a). The continued use of a dumpsite, the AG warned, presents grave risks to both public health and the surrounding ecosystem.

In its defence, the Victoria Falls City Council said it had launched a Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (Wash) programme, which is being rolled out in phases due to financial constraints.

"Currently, the City of Victoria Falls is implementing Phase 1 of the Wash programme," the council noted. "Later phases (Phase 3 and 4) will seek to upgrade the sewer outfalls and sewer treatment plant so that the effluent from the treatment plant meets EMA standards."

Despite these plans, the Auditor General expressed concern over the council's slow progress in addressing previous audit issues. Of the 16 findings raised in past reports, only four were fully addressed, nine were partially addressed, and three remain unresolved.

Among the few resolved issues were the classification and valuation of property, plant, and equipment. The council's long-awaited master plan was approved in June 2024 and is set to be released to the public in August and September this year.

However, other persistent shortcomings led the AG to issue a qualified audit opinion. The report cited multiple violations of International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS), particularly in inventory management. The council failed to account for road construction materials as inventory, as required by IPSAS 12, paragraph 47. Notably, large quantities of quarry stones were not valued or included in the financial statements.

"In addition, the council did not maintain purchase invoices, delivery notes, and issue vouchers," the report stated. "Due to incomplete record keeping, I was not able to perform alternative procedures to ascertain the quantities and values of the construction material."

The report further revealed that the council lacked approved and documented disaster recovery plans, compounding concerns over its administrative preparedness and governance.

The Auditor General urged the council to take immediate steps to rectify its accounting practices, properly manage its inventory, and prioritise upgrades to its sewer system to comply with environmental regulations.

As one of Zimbabwe's leading tourist destinations and a UNESCO World Heritage site, Victoria Falls faces heightened scrutiny regarding environmental protection. The findings in this report could undermine public confidence and raise further questions about the council's capacity to sustainably manage the city's critical infrastructure.