Online Reporter
Talent Gore
THE City of Harare has moved to ease fears over dark-coloured sludge discharged during the ongoing cleaning of its water reservoirs.
City officials say the material poses no health risk to residents, animals or poultry. The exercise comes as the city continues efforts to improve the reliability and quality of its water supply amid longstanding challenges affecting Harare’s water infrastructure.
Acting Director of Water, Engineer Richard Kunyadini, said the sludge was largely residue from activated carbon used during the water treatment process to remove odours and other impurities.
He said the carbon is carried into reservoirs and accumulates over time, making regular cleaning necessary to maintain water quality.
Eng Kunyadini said the exercise was being conducted across the city’s 27 reservoir sites, with cleaning already completed at Morton Jaffray and Warren Control reservoirs.
“What people have been seeing over the weekend and as we continue today is the flushing of residues which accumulate in reservoirs.
“The colour is due to the carbon which we are removing to ensure that the water is potable and fit for human consumption,” he said.
Eng Kunyadini said the sludge should, therefore, not cause alarm, as the cleaning exercise was aimed at safeguarding the quality of Harare’s water supply.
However, he said the discharge of sludge into streets had created challenges in some areas due to blocked drainage systems. “The issue of the sludge going into the street is a problem of unplanned structures which block where a scour valve is supposed to discharge,” Eng Kunyadini said.
“Residents should desist from illegal activities around reservoirs because such developments could interfere with essential water infrastructure.”
