Health crisis feared amid water contamination in Mash West
Edgar Gweshe
Kariba—Residents have raised the alarm over a potential health disaster following the contamination of five water bodies by industrial effluent and sewage in Mashonaland West province.
This development also threatens livestock and aquatic life in the affected areas.
The Zimbabwe National Organisation of Associations and Residents Trust (ZNOART) has highlighted that water bodies under threat from industrial effluent and sewage in Mashonaland West include Karoi Dam, Hunyani River, and Biri Dam in Chinhoyi, Magunje Dam in Hurungwe, Lake Chivero, and Lake Kariba.
In a letter addressed to the Environmental Management Agency (EMA) in Mashonaland West, ZNOART noted that pollution and unplanned developments were posing a significant threat to the integrity of wetlands in the affected areas.
The letter was addressed to Kingstone Chitotombe, the EMA environmental manager for the region.
“The disaster that hit Lake Chivero recently should serve as a wake-up call for authorities to take proactive measures in terms of protecting water bodies against pollution,” noted ZNOART.
In December last year, a major ecological disaster at Lake Chivero resulted in the death of fish and wildlife.
ZNOART blamed the Chinhoyi municipality for continuously polluting Coldstream and Hunyani Rivers with sewage waste.
“Coldstream River and Hunyani River are under threat from sewer being discharged by Chinhoyi Municipality from Mpata, Hunyani and Fernlea Sewage Treatment Plants and medical waste from Chinhoyi Provincial Hospital into Coldstream River.
“The local authority has been fined and sent to court three times for this pollution but no concrete remedial action has been done,” added ZNOART.
Currently, Karoi Dam is under threat from sewage, industrial effluent, commercial stand allocations and brick moulding in the water body’s catchment area.
There are fears of future contamination of Magunje Dam by a cement plant currently being developed.
Concerning Lake Kariba, the residents’ association expressed concern over sewage contamination of tributaries that feed into the lake.
In its plea, ZNOART urged EMA to end the unhealthy competition between environmental rights and property rights by granting protected status to all water sources, similar to wildlife protection.
The association is calling for a moratorium from the parent ministry to stop any development in designated catchment areas.
“We call upon local uuthorities and the ministry of Local Government to review the legality of all land use changes, subdivision and development permits, sales and leases on wetlands, and change land use back to public open spaces,” said ZNOART.
Zimbabwe is set to host the RAMSAR Convention CoP15 from July 23-31, 2025, with a focus on the protection of freshwater sources, biodiversity, and the sustainable utilisation of wetlands.
ZNOART said the RAMSAR convention presents an opportunity to take urgent and crucial steps in raising the profile of wetlands in national discourse and ensuring that their protection becomes a priority for Zimbabwe’s sustainable future.
The serious threats to wetlands, exacerbated by climate change and El Niño-induced droughts, have already had profound effects, with cities across the province currently facing acute water shortages and at risk of transitioning from being water-stressed to water-scarce areas.
EMA spokesperson for Mashonaland West, Munyaradzi Nhariswa, said he was not yet in possession of the ZNOART letter when contacted for a comment by NewsHub.