SLUDGE from Harare City Council’s storage tanks in Marimba is flowing into houses and roads in New Marimba Park and other areas, angering shocked residents who feared a health hazard could be looming in the area.
BY MUNESU NYAKUDYA
When NewsDay visited the area, black sludge from the water reservoirs was flowing from the new settlement into High Glen and Chemusango roads.
A Marimba Park resident, Raphael Mavhunga, alleged council had not bothered to explain to the people what was happening. “It is being alleged that council workers were cleaning the water tanks across High Glen Road, so this mess is the sludge from the water reservoirs,” Mavhunga said.
Another resident said: “In the past few days Gairezi and Chemusango roads resembled a flooded stream due to water from the reservoirs. The main problem is that the storm water drainage system is blocked due to lack of maintenance and these are some of the effects of haphazard, illegal and unplanned settlements.”
Residents said they usually get
greenish-looking water from their taps.
“When we boil the water it produces a green layer on top,” she said.
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City council workers who were cleaning the tanks directed residents to the department water.
“Go to Water Works, tell them your problems and ask them to fix the drainage system. Our job is just to clean. We are just starting and we have six more tanks to go, so brace up because more of this waters is going to be coming to your houses,” said one of the council employees to residents.
City council spokesperson Michael Chideme said the exercise was part of their cleaning process.
“We apologise to the residents who have been affected during the process, but we are cleaning our tanks so that we can manage to provide our residents with clean water. We are almost finishing the cleaning process this side,” he said.
Chideme added: “The reason why the water went into the households is because of the illegal settlers who are situated around the tanks. So it is not the poor drainage system, but those people are disturbing the system.”
