Residents and ratepayers in Harare have petitioned the city council to urgently tighten controls on industrial effluent warning that continued pollution of the capital’s water sources is putting public health and water security at risk.
The petition, presented to the Mayor on 26 August calls for the speedy finalisation and adoption of the city’s Draft Trade Effluent Management By-law, which residents say is needed to strengthen regulation and hold companies responsible for pollution to account.
The petitioners, represented by contact person Prudence Hanyani of New Mabvuku, said untreated and inadequately treated industrial waste was being discharged into Harare’s sewerage system, rivers, streams and other water bodies.
They warned that the pollution was contributing to the degradation of the Manyame Catchment and Lake Chivero basin which supplies raw water to Harare and surrounding areas.
“Water pollution is a public health issue,” the petitioners said, arguing that residents were ultimately paying the cost through water shortages, deteriorating water quality and rising purification costs.
The petition cites Zimbabwe’s Constitution, which guarantees citizens the right to a safe, clean and potable water supply and an environment that is not harmful to their health or wellbeing.
It also invokes the Environmental Management Act, which incorporates the “polluter pays” principle, requiring those responsible for environmental degradation to meet the costs of preventing and remedying the damage.
The residents claim that more than 350 companies allegedly operate without adequate pre-treatment facilities, although this figure was not independently verified in the petition.
They said industrial pollution was worsening the quality of water entering Lake Chivero, increasing treatment costs and threatening aquatic ecosystems.
According to the petition, residents were bearing the consequences of the problem through recurring water shortages and increased water tariffs.
The petitioners also criticised delays in finalising the Trade Effluent Management By-law, saying the absence of an enforceable framework was limiting the council’s ability to monitor industrial discharges and punish offenders.
They called on the council to introduce clear standards for trade waste discharges, mandatory monitoring and reporting requirements, as well as meaningful penalties for companies that breach environmental regulations.
The residents further urged the city to strengthen inspections and enforcement while ensuring that companies responsible for pollution pay for environmental restoration and monitoring.
They also raised concerns about the forthcoming 2026-27 rainy season citing anticipated El Niño conditions and warning that reduced rainfall could worsen water insecurity.
The petitioners said lower inflows into dams and prolonged dry spells could increase the concentration of pollutants in already stressed water sources.
They argued that insufficient rainfall would reduce the natural dilution of pollutants in Lake Chivero, making urgent intervention necessary.
The residents want Harare City Council to treat the adoption of the Draft Trade Effluent Management By-law as an emergency and use it to protect Lake Chivero and other strategic water sources.
They said stronger enforcement would not only protect the environment but also safeguard public health, reduce the financial burden of water treatment and protect water supplies for future generations.
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