Chitungwiza Municiplity commits to tackle sanitati...

Chitungwiza Municiplity commits to tackle sanitation challenges

El-shemaiah Mazarura

The perennial outbreak of waterborn diseases such as cholera and typhoid in Chitungwiza may soon be a thing of the past following a massive sewer pipes rehabilitation prgramme introduced in the town with financial backing from the African Development Bank.

The dormitory town has previously been in the news for all the wrong health reasons and, at one time, was pronounced an epicentre of a cholera outbreak.

Acting Town Clerk Japson Nemuseso recently told the media during a tour that the ongoing project involves the laying 200km of sewage pipes and installation of sewer trunk lines that will stretch as far as Unit O.

The existing trunk lines, dormant for years, have been filled with sand balls, necessitating their removal.

"The existing pipeline was filled with mud, so we began by removing the old pipes that were obstructed. Poor drainage resulted in the pipes' inability to transport sewage to the treatment plant, leading to sewage overflow that adversely affected residents and contributed to the spread of diseases such as cholera and typhoid," he said.

Nemuseso highlighted the "distilling" project aimed at cleaning tanks to ensure seamless sewage flow to the treatment plant. He also mentioned plans to alleviate boreholes to facilitate efficient sewage flow, as well as a program to install proper sanitary facilities for households with swap pans.

Mayor Roselyn Mangoma, who was also present during the tour, assured residents that the sewage issues will be reduced in areas such as Unit O, N, M, N, and L, acknowledging the immediate benefit of the long-overdue solution. The council will conduct awareness campaigns to educate residents on proper toilet usage and pipe maintenance, she said.

The Municipal officials disclosed the "distillation" project involves cleaning 8km of pipes in total to remove blockages, with a promise to improve the town's overall sanitation and health challenges by 2025.