Concern over Masvingo raw water quality

19 Jun, 2016 - 00:06 0 Views

The Sunday News

Walter Mswazie Masvingo Correspondent
THERE is growing concern in Masvingo over the deteriorating quality of raw water from the city’s sole supply dam due to the receding levels and suspected sewage discharge from up streams feeding into Mutirikwi River. The situation has seen Masvingo City Council spending more money on procuring water treatment chemicals.

According to the latest council report, the city’s sole supply dam, Lake Mutirikwi was at 19,42 percent full in May. Chief engineer Tawanda Gozo said the deteriorating quality has resulted in the council using more money to procure treatment chemicals to purify the water.

“We have to increase the amount of chemicals for treating our raw water every time as its quality has remained a challenge due to dropping levels in Lake Mutirikwi and sewage effluent pollution upstream. However, chemical and bacteriological analysis tests for quality control done by engineering and health departments show that treated water still meets SAZ (Standard Association of Zimbabwe) and WHO (World Health Organisation) standards,” reads the report.

The report further read that the council was now adding extra chemicals to ensure that water is safe for human consumption. “We have started adding powdered activated carbon on top of aluminum sulphate and hydrated lime that we normally used due to the deteriorating quality of water from the dam,” reads the report.

The city’s public works and planning committee also raised concern over the increase of grit amid reports that a total of 252 wheelbarrows of grit were removed in March and 198 in April in the sewer system depicting a critical situation as grit causes unnecessary blockages. Chief environmental health officer Mr Zvapano Munganasa was tasked to involve community health clubs to educate residents on the dangers of grit in the sewer system.

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