Hwange Local Board bans squat toilets

Fairness Moyana in Hwange, Sunday News Correspondent

HWANGE Local Board (HLB) has given residents an ultimatum to replace squat toilets with sitting ones as part of its efforts to curb rampant sewer blockages.

The ultimatum follows an April resolution made by council compelling property owners using squat toilets to discard them as they were contributing to recurrent sewer blockages and sewage overflows in areas they are predominantly used. Residents were given six months to replace the squat toilets and the deadline is lapsing next month.

The development comes as the country yesterday joined the world in marking the World Toilet Day whose campaign theme this year – “Making the invisible visible,” focuses on the impact of the sanitation crisis on groundwater, exploring how inadequate sanitation systems spread human waste into rivers, lakes and soil, polluting underground water resources.

It is in that light that the Hwange Local Board spokesperson Mr Dumisani Nsingo believes that squat toilets are a big challenge as numerous objects ranging from clothes, sanitary pads, stones and soil easily find their way down. He said at times occupants drop the items accidentally or deliberately, leading to blockages of sewer lines. Most of the houses that are still using squat toilets are in Old Empumalanga.

“Councillors passed a resolution to have all squat toilets replaced and some of the residents have since acceded to the decision. In any event we expect residents using squat toilets to embrace sitting toilets as these are modern. Squat toilets are archaic, having been used in the 1960s and 1970s,” said Mr Nsingo.

The local authority has since late last year managed to find lasting solutions in most areas susceptible to sewer bursts.

It also has plans to upgrade the entire sewer reticulation system in Empumalanga, to enable it to be compactable with the growth of the area, while the rehabilitation of sewer treatment plant is set to begin.

The local authority has been battling to dispose solid human waste for over 10 years after the breakdown of the Empumalanga treatment plant, a situation that has negatively impacted on its ability to effectively manage the environment in a sustainable way in its area of jurisdiction.

However, the Ministry of National Housing and Social Amenities, which took over the servicing of more than 2 000 high-density residential stands in Empumalanga West has included the rehabilitation of the sewer treatment plant under its scope of works.

According to the United Nations, World Toilet Day has been observed annually since 2013. The day celebrates toilets and raises awareness of the 3.6 billion people living without access to safely managed sanitation. 

It is about taking action to tackle the global sanitation crisis and achieve Sustainable Development Goal 6: sanitation and water for all by 2030. 

The UN says proper sanitation facilities (for example, toilets and latrines) promote health because they allow people to dispose of their waste appropriately, preventing contamination of their environment and reducing risk to themselves and their neighbours.