EMA decries sewer pollution

By Whinsley Masara

The Environmental Management Agency (EMA) has raised concern over sewer pollution in and around the city of Bulawayo. The agency on Friday urged the Bulawayo City Council to rectify all sewage discharge points to avoiding polluting water sources for downstream communities.

EMA board members had toured effluent discharge hotspots in Bulawayo Metropolitan Province and Umguza in Matabeleland North province that is affected by the pollution from Bulawayo.

Speaking during an EMA press conference, Environmental Management Board Chairperson, Ambassador Zenzo Nsimbi said the pollution from the city is evident through the manifestation of water hyacinth which has totally blocked Umguza Dam, rendering it unusable for any activity.

He said the board will remain resolute and steadfast in ensuring that objectives for a clean, safe and healthy environment are attained.

“During the tour, the board observed that the Bulawayo City Council is faced with a problem of pollution where sewage is being discharged into the environment from point and non-point sources. In 2014, there was a public outcry on the pollution of Umguza community as a result of effluent from Bulawayo City Council that was discharged from sewer treatment plants and pump stations and burst pipes,” he said.

Ambassador Nsimbi said Cabinet had to intervene through establishment of a task force to investigate the pollution in Umguza.

“Cabinet then granted BCC borrowing powers of about $13.2 million to be used to rehabilitate the collapsed sewer pipes and treatment plants. To date the city is yet to complete the major discharge point rehabilitation at Sauerstown suburb.

“Industries were directed to construct pre-treatment plants so as to pre-treat their affluent and meet EMA standards before discharge into the sewer system. The drastically reduced the heavy metals pollution levels of the effluent,” he said.

The local authority has since addressed all the discharge points where orders were served by EMA, except for the Sauerstown and North End sewer trunk collapses.

“The collapses near Cold Storage Commission along Birkenhead Road and the 5,6km Mahatshula collapsed line was however repaired by the city in an effort to reduce pollution,” he added.

-The Chronicle