SEWER bursts are now a common sight in Chiredzi town, with the high-density suburb of Tshovani overflowing with raw waste, exposing residents to diseases, it has emerged.
Report by Phyllis Mbanje
According to council officials, the town’s sewer system is being strained by the increased number of people flocking to the small town in search of opportunities.
Chiredzi town lies in cholera prone zone with outbreaks being recorded in the town every year.
But council officials said Chiredzi’s dilapidated sewer system was set for a major revamp after the town council partnered Unicef for the upgrading of old pipes.
Speaking to stakeholders who participated in a recent tour of the sugar-cane town organised by the Ratepayers Association, council director of Housing, Gerazimos Bambazha said the project was expected to start in a few months.
This followed submissions the council made to Unicef detailing the town’s water and reticulation plans.
Bambazha said the water and sewer lines were designed years ago to accommodate 7 000 people, but the town’s population now stood at 35 000.
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“The sewer system is very old and the town experiences daily sewer bursts.
“The system is being strained by the rapid increase of the town’s population, which the current system can no longer contain,” he said. The council has for years watch- ed as most parts of Tshovani flowed with sewer effluent, making some parts inhabitable.
Houses commonly termed midhadhadha were the worst affected as they house many people although they have only one or two ablution facilities.
Most local authorities in the country are operating on a shoe-string budget that has resulted in their failure to provide adequate services to residents.
