City to seal contaminated boreholes

litres for the city, Chitungwiza, Epworth, Ruwa and Norton.
He said council was looking for partners to assist in the construction of Kunzvi and Musami dams for an additional 800 mega litres per day.
The projects will cost US$530 million and US$880 million, respectively.

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Health and Child Welfare Minister Henry Madzorera said it was critical to deal with causes of recurrent outbreaks of water-borne diseases.
“To that end, we urge Government to ensure resources to refurbish water, sanitation and sewerage infrastructure are made available as a matter of urgency.
“This is the most effective way of dealing with the menace of cholera, typhoid and other diseases spread by faecal oral route,” he said.

Water from the condemned boreholes could however, be pre-treated if money is available.
If pre-treatment gets the nod, the water will be pumped into reservoirs and be chlorinated before use.
Harare has more than 20 000 boreholes, but only 3 500 are on the council database.

This means most boreholes were drilled without council approval, raising fears they were improperly sited and could be contaminated.
The Ministry of Health and Child Welfare has indicated that most boreholes drilled in high-density suburbs were contaminated by bacteria that causes diarrhoeal diseases.

Eng Zvobgo said donors sank some community boreholes during the cholera outbreak, but did not seek expert advice on their siting and testing.
The city did not manage boreholes before the random drilling, but tested the water’s portability and established that some were contaminated.
“We have tested 172 boreholes in the city (and) established that 26 had contaminated water. We will have them sealed off. We may pre-treat the water as well. Council has to make a decision,” he said.

Eng Zvobgo said most boreholes and wells in Mabvuku have high metal content, which could cause diarrhoea and stomach upsets.
He said borehole inspections will continue with the necessary measures being taken on those that do not meet health standards.
Meanwhile, journalists toured a typhoid camp at Kuwadzana Polyclinic.

Nurses said they had attended to 71 patients by midday yesterday.
Residents told Government officials that council had not attended to burst pipes and a toilet at a market in the area.
Food vendors at Mereki in Warren Park D yesterday met Ward 15 councillor Mr Julius Musevenzi who promised to approach relevant authorities for assistance.

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