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Thupeyo Muleya, Beitbridge Bureau 

The Environmental Management Agency (EMA) is instituting legal action against selected local authorities which are polluting water sources nationwide.

The Agency’s manager for Environmental Education and Publicity Ms Amkela Sidange said in a statement that they were not relenting on their quest to enforce compliance.

“We have opened cases against all local authorities found illegal discharging sewer into the environment,” said Ms Sidange.

“Currently there are four cases before the High Court and about six more local authorities awaiting to be taken to court for the same offences of polluting the environment.

Good water quality remains a critical ecosystem service and warrants sustained availability of freshwater ecosystems which is key towards a clean, safe and healthy environment as enshrined in section 73 of the constitution of Zimbabwe”.

She said they had established that an estimated 399 megalitres of raw and partly treated sewer water is discharged on a daily basis into the environment, mostly into water bodies.

This, Ms Sidange said, renders the water quality in such rivers compromised and that it put the health of the public at risk especially the downstream users.

She said all urban local authorities should prioritise proper sewer treatment that does not compromise the health of the public and the integrity of the environment.

“Freshwater ecosystems are a fundamental pillar in achieving sustainable development goals, particularly goal 6.3 which seeks to improve water quality by reducing pollution by 2030,” said Ms Sidange.

“Domestic, industry and agriculture sources of untreated wastewater remain unfavourable towards water quality. Therefore, regular monitoring allows for the timely response to potential pollution sources and enables for pollution abatement measures to be timeously put in place”.

She said between January and June this year the organisation carried out an analysis of the ambient water quality to establish the monthly pollution contribution from the urban hotspot areas. This was done in Manyame in Harare, Nyatsime in Chitungwiza, Umguza in Bulawayo, Mtshabezi in Gwanda and Runde in Masvingo.

“The analysis of water from these rivers shows that there was a general decrease in Dissolved Oxygen from January to June in three of the five rivers namely, Nyatsime, Mtshabezi and Umguza.

“These rivers receive sewage effluent from urban sewer treatment plants as they pass through urban setups and recorded Dissolved Oxygen below the recommended limit ranging between 35.28% and 42.45% saturation,” added Ms Sidange.

The official said Kariba, Norton and Gwanda were recently convicted by the courts for poor sewer management.

She said it was very critical for local authorities to mainstream environmental issues into development through the Local Environmental Action Plans (LEAPs).

“This planning tool enables local authorities to be proactive and reduce environmental pollution and land degradation, and at the same time finding less costly and lasting nature-based solutions to any environmental challenge.

“To that end, we are offering technical backup to local authorities and all citizens as the country forges towards attaining a clean, safe and healthy environment for all,” said Ms Sidange.

She said EMA will continue carrying out ambient water quality monitoring as a useful tool to identify rivers and other water bodies that are under threat from pollution.

@tupeyo