A GOVERNMENT taskforce was yesterday expected to present its findings into an investigation that 11 000 households in Umguza are at risk due to the discharge of raw sewer into rivers by Bulawayo City Council. Moses Matenga Staff Reporter
So serious is the fear of poisoning of Umguza basin rivers that the government has decided to drill five boreholes in every affected ward.
The team was expected to submit a report of the analysis of the samples taken from Umguza and make reccomendations to an inter-ministerial committee tasked with investigating the pollution disaster in Bulawayo and Harare.
“In the Umguza community, a team of experts was dispatched on May 6 2014 to go and carry out a detailed study of water quality, determine the impact of the water on the agricultural activities and the inhabitants around and in Umguza area,” Local Government minister Ignatius Chombo (pictured) told reporters in Harare on Wednesday.
“Meanwhile, the (Umguza) district has commandeered borehole drilling equipment to sink five boreholes per ward in the affected wards.”
Chombo said Bulawayo was discharging raw sewer into water bodies, but efforts were being made to address that.
“Bulawayo city is discharging raw sewer into water bodies and the environment,” he said.
“To this end, council has proposed to carry out works that will stop pollution of Khami Dam and Umguza River.
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“However, on May 13 2014, the city of Bulawayo unveiled the project borrowing power applications to 17 potential financiers who are willing to partner council in its proposed borrowing power of $13,261 million for sewer rehabilitation and upgrading.”
Chombo said the government would assist the Environmental Management Agency (EMA) to close errant companies that fail to curb pollution.
“All companies will comply and those that don’t, we will support EMA action to close them. We will guarantee that they comply in six weeks, this is not business as usual, but we want to make sure the environment is cleaned up,” he said.
EMA director of Environmental Protection, Petronella Shoko, confirmed the Environment Management Act allowed the government to close companies that fail to comply with its provisions.
Chombo said it was established that service stations, premises of transport operators, garages and car repair workshops were discharging oil, grease and silt into the environment thereby polluting underground water.
“Such pollutants also end up in the sewer reticulation system, causing corrosion and consequently pipe leakages and bursts,” he said.
Chombo said as a remedial measure, all service stations should, by June 30 install oil/silt interceptors at their properties.
“Tanneries discharge heavy and poisonous metals such as arsenic, chlorium, sodium chloride, organic solids, dyes and paints,” he said.
“These metals are harmful to human, animal and aquatic life when discharged directly into the environment.”
“Consequently such companies are under instruction to immediately stop operating and resume when they have repaired or erected approved pre-treatment plant.”
Chombo said councils were among the major polluters through the discharge of raw sewage directly into water bodies and the environment.
He said this posed a serious threat to human life and the environment hence government will not hesitate to take necessary measures to curb the practice.
Other companies mentioned as polluting water and the environment were funeral parlours, abattoirs, food outlets, beverage producers, chemical producing companies and local authorities.
