"We're Drinking Dirty Water, We Will All Die,” Chidawu Speaks On Raw Sewer Pumped Into Lake Chivero
Harare Metropolitan Provincial Affairs minister Oliver Chidawu said has revealed that the Council is pumping almost 82% of untreated sewerage into the Lake Chivero. The Lake is the main water source for Harare.
Chidawu revealed also that the Crowborough sewer treatment plant is incapacitated to process the sewer that it receives. He said:
The biggest problem we have got is waste water pollution, taking an example from Crowbrough sewage works, which is receiving about 100 mega litres of raw sewage per day against its installed capacity of 54 mega litres.
The current infrastructure at the treatment works is only processing 18 mega litres and the rest is being pumped into the lake. We are all drinking dirty water and if action is not taken, we will all die.
The local authority is also failing to treat water arguing that it does not have enough foreign currency.
Harare city fathers are alleged to have misused US$144 loan from the Chinese Import and Export Bank that was meant for the rehabilitation of both sewer and water treatment plants. Reports suggest that city management used the money to buy luxurious cars for themselves.
The council has however started paying back the loan using ratepayers and residents’ monthly rates which was supposed to go towards service delivery.
More: NewsDay
