Hararians told to flush with bigger buckets

The City of Harare has urged residents to adopt the use of larger buckets when flushing toilets in order to ease mounting sewer blockages. The directive comes as officials warn that small containers being used during water rationing are failing to push waste through pipelines, leaving it trapped and causing serious disruptions.

Engineer Simon Muserere from the city's Department of Water said water shortages have forced many households to improvise with small tins and containers. However, this practice, he explained, is worsening the capital's sewage problems. "When you use a very small tin, it might clear your toilet, but the load remains in the pipeline. A larger bucket helps push waste through to the treatment plant," Muserere said.

He revealed that sewer blockages have risen sharply, with most caused by improper flushing methods and the dumping of inappropriate waste into the system. According to Muserere, 60% of problems stem from residents' habits, while only 40% are linked to structural faults or wear and tear. He stressed that simple changes in flushing practices could save the city from frequent and costly repairs.

Household waste such as rags, sand and even kitchen utensils has increasingly been found clogging sewer lines, compounding the problem. Muserere highlighted that in the past, sewage treatment plants received over four tonnes of sand daily, a natural flow that helped maintain what engineers call a "self-cleansing velocity." Now, however, three to four tonnes of sand remain trapped in the pipelines instead of being washed to treatment facilities. "That self-cleansing velocity is lost," he noted.

The engineer said the use of bigger buckets could help restore part of that natural flow and reduce pressure on municipal resources. He appealed to residents to play their part in reducing blockages by adjusting their flushing habits and exercising greater care over what they dispose of in toilets.

"If we cut down the sixty percent caused by residents, we can focus our limited resources on fixing structural issues and avoid overstraining the city's budget," he said.

Muserere also disclosed that the city has been forced to deploy high-velocity clearing machines and carry out expensive excavations to open blocked sewer lines. He warned that such costly interventions are not sustainable. "We need cooperation from residents. Bigger buckets make a huge difference," he concluded.