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Harare blames residents for crippled sewage system
2 hrs ago |
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The Harare City Council says it requires US$7 million to maintain and upgrade the Firle sewage treatment plant in Glen View, which is struggling to operate effectively due to heavy sewage and grease inflows.
City authorities have dismissed allegations that they are pumping raw sewage directly into Lake Chivero, the capital's main water source, insisting that all untreated waste is being diverted to council farms for disposal.
The Firle plant, which has a capacity of 144 megalitres per day, is currently treating only 50 to 60 megalitres, largely due to upstream blockages, outdated infrastructure, and high water demand across the city.
Speaking during a tour of the facility last week, acting town clerk Phakamile Mabhena Moyo said the council urgently needs millions of dollars to replace damaged pipes, pumps, and treatment units.
"The breakdowns of water treatment units at Firle are true; the percentage of the breakdown I cannot confirm. But all the untreated sewage is pumped to council farms, not directly to the lake," Mabhena said.
"Our short-term budget for upgrading infrastructure is around US$6 to US$7 million."
Mabhena said financial constraints, worsened by Zimbabwe's sanctioned status, have made it difficult to secure external loans or funding for essential maintenance and sanitation projects.
"We face significant difficulties in securing funds for equipment maintenance and sanitation services. We hope the commission's recommendations will be constructive and facilitate progress rather than hinder it," he added.
The remarks followed an inspection by the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission (ZHRC) at both the Firle sewage facility and the Morton Jaffray water treatment plant. The commission recently launched investigations into environmental rights violations and water quality concerns affecting Harare residents.
ZHRC chairperson Fungayi Jessie Majome said the commission's mandate is to safeguard citizens' rights and promote administrative justice.
"We make recommendations for the rectification of any issues that undermine the enjoyment of human rights or administrative justice," Majome said. "We will continue to monitor the implementation of our recommendations and, where necessary, submit reports to the Minister of Justice for presentation to the President."
Majome emphasized the need for collective responsibility in addressing Harare's water challenges, calling for stronger collaboration between local authorities and central government to improve water supply infrastructure.
Harare City Council engineer Simon Muserere said the local authority was working to replace damaged pipelines and install protective polycarbonate covers to prevent vandalism and illegal access to the sewer system.
"We have the 2.5km Amalinda stream crossing, which has already exceeded its lifespan of 20 years and now needs replacing — a project costing millions of dollars," Muserere explained.
He also urged residents to play their part by avoiding the disposal of grease, plastics, and other waste into drainage systems.
"Normally, it is said 50% of sewer problems come from users. Once people change their attitude toward sewer management, we can cut these problems by half," he said.
The Firle plant's ongoing troubles have sparked growing concern over Harare's water safety and environmental management, as Lake Chivero remains the city's main water source and is already heavily polluted by urban effluent.
City authorities have dismissed allegations that they are pumping raw sewage directly into Lake Chivero, the capital's main water source, insisting that all untreated waste is being diverted to council farms for disposal.
The Firle plant, which has a capacity of 144 megalitres per day, is currently treating only 50 to 60 megalitres, largely due to upstream blockages, outdated infrastructure, and high water demand across the city.
Speaking during a tour of the facility last week, acting town clerk Phakamile Mabhena Moyo said the council urgently needs millions of dollars to replace damaged pipes, pumps, and treatment units.
"The breakdowns of water treatment units at Firle are true; the percentage of the breakdown I cannot confirm. But all the untreated sewage is pumped to council farms, not directly to the lake," Mabhena said.
"Our short-term budget for upgrading infrastructure is around US$6 to US$7 million."
Mabhena said financial constraints, worsened by Zimbabwe's sanctioned status, have made it difficult to secure external loans or funding for essential maintenance and sanitation projects.
"We face significant difficulties in securing funds for equipment maintenance and sanitation services. We hope the commission's recommendations will be constructive and facilitate progress rather than hinder it," he added.
The remarks followed an inspection by the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission (ZHRC) at both the Firle sewage facility and the Morton Jaffray water treatment plant. The commission recently launched investigations into environmental rights violations and water quality concerns affecting Harare residents.
"We make recommendations for the rectification of any issues that undermine the enjoyment of human rights or administrative justice," Majome said. "We will continue to monitor the implementation of our recommendations and, where necessary, submit reports to the Minister of Justice for presentation to the President."
Majome emphasized the need for collective responsibility in addressing Harare's water challenges, calling for stronger collaboration between local authorities and central government to improve water supply infrastructure.
Harare City Council engineer Simon Muserere said the local authority was working to replace damaged pipelines and install protective polycarbonate covers to prevent vandalism and illegal access to the sewer system.
"We have the 2.5km Amalinda stream crossing, which has already exceeded its lifespan of 20 years and now needs replacing — a project costing millions of dollars," Muserere explained.
He also urged residents to play their part by avoiding the disposal of grease, plastics, and other waste into drainage systems.
"Normally, it is said 50% of sewer problems come from users. Once people change their attitude toward sewer management, we can cut these problems by half," he said.
The Firle plant's ongoing troubles have sparked growing concern over Harare's water safety and environmental management, as Lake Chivero remains the city's main water source and is already heavily polluted by urban effluent.
Source - newsday
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