Chronicle Editor
Mashudu Netsianda, Senior Reporter
THE Municipality of Beitbridge has introduced a coordinated programme for residents to simultaneously flush their toilets twice a day in a bid to unclog the border town’s sewer and reticulation system.
The “big flush” comes at a time the town is facing a water crisis emanating from the Zimbabwe National Water Authority (Zinwa)’s failure to pump enough water due to power load shedding by Zesa.
Town Clerk, Mr Loud Ramakgapola, said the big flush is aimed at preventing any sewer blockages as well as curbing pipe bursts due to limited availability of water entering the sewer system necessitated by power load shedding.
He urged residents to simultaneously flush their toilets in the morning between 6.30AM and 7AM and evening between 7PM and7.30PM.
“The Municipality of Beitbridge is appealing to residents to assist in a scheduled coordinated programme of flushing our toilets in an effort to unclog the sewer system. We want to reduce the number or occurrence of sewer blockages, and therefore we are calling upon residents to sychronise their flushing between 6.30AM and 7AM and as well as in the evening between 7PM and 7.30PM to facilitate cleansing of the sewer system,” said Mr Ramakgapola.
He said residents are expected to continue flushing their toilets as usual throughout the day.
The sewer system is designed in a manner that allows for self-cleansing enabling to discharge and clean itself during peak flows in the mornings and evenings during which residents would be either washing or bathing.
Mr Ramakgapola urged residents to participate in the exercise to minimise damage to the sewer system.
“Due to limited water availability as a direct or indirect result of load shedding or otherwise there are insufficient sewage flows in the system for it to clean itself. Please note that this operation should effectively commence until further notice,” he said.
“Please note that no solids are allowed into the sewer reticulation system except human excreta with toilet paper and nothing else. All other solids must be disposed of into the refuse receptacles without compromise.”
Mr Ramakgapola said if the big flush was not adopted, residents would be exposed to waterborne diseases as there would be more pipe bursts.
In 2008, Beitbridge was the worst cholera hit district in the country during which 36 people succumbed to the disease.
The town needs at least 15 000 cubic metres of water per day, but the local authority has been supplying a third of the daily requirement.
Beitbridge is home to more than 40 000 people including the population in-transit.
The town has been experiencing water woes for the past three decades due to an old water treatment plant, which was designed to supply only 3 000 cubic metres of per day.
In 2017, the Government commissioned a new $40 million water treatment plant in Beitbridge with a pumping capacity of 4 000 cubic metres of water per hour. -@mashnets
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