By Elishamai A Ziumbwa
The Harare City Council has raised alarm over the growing problem of residents dumping sand and other solid waste into the sewer system a practice officials say is crippling wastewater treatment operations and damaging vital infrastructure.
During a visit by the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission to the Firle Sewage Works, Simon Muserere the city’s Head of Wastewater said the facility is overwhelmed by the sheer volume of sand entering the system.
“We receive between six to ten tonnes of sand every day at this plant. After about six months, we are forced to shut down parts of the system to remove the accumulated sand because it clogs pumps and damages electro-mechanical equipment,” Muserere told 263Chat
Designed to process 144 megalitres of wastewater daily, the plant is now operating at less than half that capacity between 50 and 60 megalitres due to blockages and reduced inflows caused by upstream contamination.
Muserere said most of the sand originates from household and small-scale construction waste, vandalism and illegal dumping in peri-urban areas.
“Most of the sand comes from builders and households who carelessly dispose of construction waste. We have also had cases where manhole covers are stolen, allowing debris to enter the sewer lines. In some areas, residents even throw stones into sewer pipes to irrigate their vegetables,” he said.
The damage, he warned is long-term and costly.
“We have a 2.5-kilometre industrial sewer line that was supposed to last 50 years, but it’s already failing after just 20 because of sand damage,” Muserere added.
Acting Town Clerk Mabhena Moyo echoed the concern calling the situation costly and preventable.
“In some areas, residents use sand to wash clothes, and that sand ends up in our sewers. We are also battling vandalism — manhole covers are stolen and replaced with makeshift materials, letting more sand and debris into the system,” he said
Moyo said the city is introducing polycarbonate manhole covers to replace frequently stolen metal ones and is targeting hotspots such as Glen View and Highfield for intensive monitoring and clean-up operations.
“We must protect our infrastructure and change our behaviour as residents. If we do that, we can save the city millions and improve service delivery,” he said
He added that while sand infiltration has been a persistent issue for decades, it has worsened dramatically due to rapid urban expansion and neglect.
“It’s the same problem we’ve faced for years only now it’s twenty times worse. We need a collective effort to fix it,” Moyo said.
