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Blessings Chidakwa Municipal Reporter
Harare has lost at least 50 percent of its wetlands over the past decade, a move that has impacted negatively on the quality of water being supplied by the local authority.

Speaking during a breakfast meeting between the Harare Wetlands Trust and the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Higher and Tertiary Education, Innovation, Science and Technology, Dr Robert Cunlife said lack of preservation of wetlands was badly affecting the quality of water in the city.

“Destruction of wetlands is leading to reduced delivery of clean water due to siltation of supply dams, increased water pollution, higher costs of treating water and reduced recharge of groundwater reserves,” he said.

Dr Cunlife, representing the Harare Wetlands Trust revealed statistics that showed that Epworth was the worst affected area where wetlands had been destroyed by at least 76,6 percent over the past decade followed by Houghton Park with 71 percent and the least bad affected suburb being Prospect Park with 15,7 percent.