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Water pollution - Ticking time bomb
Edmore Zvinonzwa, The Herald (Zimbabwe)
March 03, 2008

http://allafrica.com/stories/200803030915.html?viewall=1

Yeukai began screaming louder at the sight of her mother walking through the school gate that afternoon. She was writhing in pain holding her belly with both hands, as she lay prostrate under the jacaranda tree.

A growing number of parents had been called following an unusual outbreak of fatal bloody diarrhoea at the primary school and they formed a pensive group that stood outside the headmaster's office for the better part of the day. Personnel from the local health department had been summoned to investigate the problem and had concluded that the outbreak was a result of the consumption of contaminated water.

Two children in the infant grades had actually succumbed to the outbreak on admission to hospital that morning. Scores of other pupils had been put on the salt and sugar solution the previous day.

The sad thing was that the health department had run out of drugs to help contain the situation. They could not cope and had already sent an SOS to the parent Government ministry for assistance.

The tragedy, which was also threatening to expose the limit of the health department's disaster preparedness, was a result of pollution of the water that the people were drinking in the town.

This is what is likely to happen if the prevailing levels of water pollution are not curbed.

Wikipedia defines water pollution as "a large set of adverse effects upon water bodies such as lakes, rivers, oceans and groundwater caused by human activity". This pollution is realized in the form of organic wastes such as sewage, a very common feature in Zimbabwe's third most populous urban centre.

This sewage imposes a high oxygen demand on the host water body leading to oxygen depletion with potentially severe impacts on the entire ecosystem. Bacteria from sewage leads to high levels of pollution which, in turn, results in high rates of deaths from cholera, typhoid, dysentery and diarrhea from viral and bacteriological sources.

Industry discharges a variety of pollutants in their wastewater, for instance resin pellets, organic toxins, nutrients and solids. With food processing industries, the discharged waste contains pathogens. These are released directly into the water body and in this case, into Nyatsime River all the way down to Lake Chivero via the Manyame River. Lake Chivero is the source of water for Harare and surrounding towns like Chitungwiza and Norton.

According to All Africa Global Media, animal waste, fertilizers, municipal, industrial and mining wastewater, urban storm water and runoff from agricultural, livestock and poultry operations have impaired the Zimbabwe National Water Authority's capacity to meet the growing demand of water in Harare and surrounding towns.

"Water treatment costs have risen sharply in recent years because of excessive pollution. Passing the real cost to the consumer has been difficult as the majority cannot afford to pay market rates." Basically, Zinwa is failing to provide potable water to residents all the time. This is despite the fact that pollution fines were increased by 2 900 percent in 2003.

The truth of the matter is that the fines are not deterrent enough and polluters do not seem to feel the pinch. Admitting that the fines were paltry, the Environmental Management Agency's director for Environmental Protection, Sibekhile Mtetwa said that the fines are "governed by criminal scale of fines and the highest level is 14, which is $50 million".

EMA, he said, besides advocating higher and more deterrent fines, is lobbying for the creation of an environmental court that will charge fines that are commensurate with the damage caused.

Mtetwa also noted that there were some polluters who were actually budgeting for environmental offences, meaning that they do not take the protection of the environment seriously. What they should consider, in my opinion, is the potential threat this poses to public health.

It is a fact that the cost of treating the water is obviously high and the incidence of water-borne diseases cannot be ruled out especially when these water treatment chemicals are priced beyond the reach of many local authorities in this hyper-inflationary environment.

Given that the identity of most polluters is not a secret, there is rising concern as to why they are not made to pay for the cost of water treatment. EMA says that the treatment of water falls under Zinwa and that it only gets involved through initiating a clean-up programme and then charge the polluters using "the "polluter pays" principle.

When EMA fined Chitungwiza for dumping clinical waste in undesignated areas, one would have thought the purge would continue and ultimately embrace the dormitory town's industries, which are some of the biggest water polluters given their continued discharge of toxic waste into Nyatsime River with the full knowledge that the practice compromises water quality and quantity in the short to long term. Besides polluting the water, this toxic waste also gives rise to the growth of alien plants.

The proliferation of water hyacinth in Manyame River, for instance, is scaring. This spread will continue unless action is taken as a matter of urgency. EMA say they have a "unit that deals with invasive alien species and is currently proposing a project that is meant to control the weed". This must be good news for people who have environmental issues at heart. The weed surely represents a threat not only to aquatic life but also the quality and quantity of water.

While EMA should be commended for taking the first steps towards normalizing the situation, there is need to make sure that existing legislation on pollution of water sources resulting from the channeling of raw sewage and toxic waste into the rivers is enforced. If need be, new legislation may actually be put in place to ensure continued and consistent compliance.

Responding to this writer's enquiry, Mtetwa said that industries that discharge effluent into rivers are levied depending on the quality of the effluent. Said Mtetwa: "Samples are taken at points of discharge and analyzed at the national laboratory." Indicating that polluters are encouraged to treat effluent before discharging it into the natural environment, Mtetwa, however, noted with concern that there are some polluters who discharge effluent "illegally and unnoticed" adding that the public would do a lot of service by notifying the agency about such culprits.

To show their commitment to environmental safety, EMA do not only handle the regulatory aspects but also have an Environmental Education and Publicity Unit that is meant to conscientise the public on issues of the environment. The unit works with other stakeholders like the City of Harare. Their schools' programme, running the slogan "Catch Them Young", encourages schools to form environmental clubs.

There is every reason, therefore, to believe that concerted efforts by all stakeholders will ultimately see a marginal reduction in pollution levels. Local authorities must remember that when epidemics break out they are the first to feel the pinch as their limited resources are stretched.

In a way, if they help to nip the problem in the bud they are some of the biggest beneficiaries of safe drinking water.

Likewise, industries that release their toxic waste in the river system must also contribute towards the costs of water treatment.

Zinwa must work hand-in-hand with organizations like EMA especially on educational campaigns aimed at conscientising residents and industry alike on the dangers of pollution.

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