Source: No to garbage dumping, residents told – herald
Ivan Zhakata
Herald Correspondent
HARARE City Council has warned residents against dumping garbage in sewer lines following a major sewer blockage in Glen View 2 that resulted in flooding at a residential property and disrupted services to nearly 300 households.
In a statement, the City of Harare said it took note of a video circulating on social media showing a resident complaining of flooding at her house due to sewer blockages in Glen View 2.
“The City of Harare has taken note of a video on social media which shows a resident complaining of flooding at her house due to sewer blockages in Glen View 2,” read the statement.
Municipal teams were dispatched to the area and managed to clear the sewer line at the affected house.
“We have attended to the challenge and the sewer line at the house has been cleared,” read the statement.
Council said the blockage was extensive, affecting nearly 300 houses, with blocked sewer lines stretching for about 100 metres.
“The sewer blockage in the area affected nearly 300 houses and the City of Harare is putting 100 percent effort to make sure the problem is resolved as quickly as possible,” read the statement.
During the clearing exercise, council workers removed a range of foreign materials from the sewer system.
“While working on the blockage, our teams removed sand, pieces of cloth, rags, cutlery and several other items dumped by residents through manholes,” read the statement, adding that efforts were underway to complete the exercise in the shortest possible time.
The Glen View 2 incident comes against a background of persistent sewer blockages and burst sewer pipes across Harare, particularly in high-density suburbs.
Over the years, the capital has experienced repeated sewer overflows attributed to ageing infrastructure, population pressure and the disposal of solid waste into sewer lines.
Burst sewer pipes and blocked lines have frequently resulted in raw sewage flowing into streets and residential yards, raising concerns over environmental pollution and public health risks, especially during the rainy season when the sewer system is under increased strain.
Council has previously said that misuse of sewer infrastructure significantly contributes to blockages and delays in restoring services.
Council reiterated its appeal to residents to use sewer systems responsibly.
“We continue to urge our residents to desist from dumping garbage in sewer lines,” read the statement.
The municipality said it will continue working to restore normal sewer services in Glen View 2 while intensifying awareness campaigns to reduce practices that lead to sewer blockages and infrastructure failure.
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