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By Charleen Munhenga
THE Epworth Local Board has fined a local company US$600 for dumping potentially dangerous chemicals, resulting in the contamination of wells from which people draw drinking water.
The chemicals were dumped about a month ago and the water is still discoloured.
Kingfisher was ordered to collect the chemicalised garbage they dumped and fill the pit with sand.
They were also ordered to scoop the contaminated water from the affected wells.
The water had turned purple and the Environmental Management Agency, The Herald and Epworth Local Board have since collected samples for testing to determine its suitability for drinking.
The results will be available soon.
Yesterday, the water colour had not changed and people were still travelling long distances to fetch safe drinking water.
Epworth Local Board secretary Mr Kizito Muhomba, said necessary measures had been taken against the offe-nders.
“The company paid a fine for the damage that they did and they also collected the chemicalised garbage that they had illegally dumped.
“As a board we have been monitoring the affected area and learnt that people still do not have safe drinking water so we have no choice but to force Kingfisher to scoop the contaminated water.
“We are going to revise our policy so that offenders like these pay dearly for the damage they do to the community,” he said
An official with Kingfisher’s public relations department said she did not have a comment.
“We are not interested in the story my friend and the Local Board will comment on our behalf.
“The chemicals were dumped and whatever measures that were taken are none of the papers’ business.
“You wrote about the issue, so why are you bothering us now?” she asked.
Epworth resident Mrs Linda Chirata said companies should be heavily punished for putting people’s lives at risk.
“Water is now a problem and we are walking five kilometres to get clean water.
“Those with clean wells in the area are now restricting how much we can get because they don’t want to run out.”
Mr Shadreck Kumbidzi added that the situation at their AFM church premises, near which the chemicals were dumped, was dire.
“The church has resorted to asking every member to bring their own drinking water for the day which is a burden since some members walk long distances.
“In a community, people should learn to do that which serves the best interests of the rest of the community,” he said.
Mbuya Elina Mhizha said she and her grandchildren had scooped the water out of their well and after some days it had cleared.
“The water is clear yes, but we are not using it since we do not know how strong the chemical is.
“We are waiting for the results of the samples that were taken recently before exposing ourselves to danger.”
She alleged the local board had not done anything to help them and appeared to have been rather lenient with King- fisher.
A resident, Prosper Kureva, has said he is partly to blame for the contamina- tion.
The brick moulder said he had dug up sand for his business within his residential stand and had reached the water table.
In a bid to fill the trenches and holes, he had reached a deal Kingfisher to fill it by dumping its waste in them.