Chronicle Editor
Vusumuzi Dube, Online News Editor
THE Bulawayo City Council (BCC) has declared that the consumption of water from any council borehole is both unsafe and illegal, refusing responsibility for ailments caused by the drinking of this water.
The revelation comes at a time when borehole water has become a preferred alternative in the face of the worst water crises in recent years which has seen some residents going for weeks without water even going beyond the stringent 120-hour-a-week water-shedding schedule.
The boreholes were sunk by the city council in almost every high-density suburb in the city since 2004 to give residents an alternative source of water in times of water shortages.
Responding to questions from Sunday News, the local authority’s corporate communications manager, Mrs Nesisa Mpofu said borehole water can only be consumed in compliance with the requirements of the Medical Officer of Health appointed by the council.
“It is legal to consume borehole water as long as it is done in compliance with the requirements of the Medical Officer of Health appointed by the Council. In view of the foregoing council has always advised residents to boil borehole water before consumption because its quality cannot be guaranteed since it is subject to contamination at any time from a number of environmental factors like sewer infiltration because it is an unprotected nor treated water source,” said Mrs Mpofu.
She revealed that the use of borehole water in the city was guided by the Bulawayo (Sewerage, Drainage and Water) By-laws, SI 390 of 1980, which also states that; “The owner or occupier of any stand to which a supply of municipal water is not available, and in respect of which water from a borehole is used for domestic purposes shall, at all times, comply with the requirements of the medical officer of health appointed by the council with regard to such water.”
The council spokesperson noted that on average the city has 433 institutional and community boreholes and not all of these are functional at any one time due to unforeseen eventualities such as mechanical breakdowns.
She said although the boreholes were regularly tested for physical, chemical and bacteriological quality, residents were advised not to use borehole water for drinking.
“It is not within council’s mandate to supply residents with borehole water. According to Section 18 of the Bulawayo (Sewerage, Drainage and Water) by-law, council undertakes only to supply potable water suitable for domestic purposes. Council has no capacity to treat boreholes dotted throughout the city hence the advice for residents to boil borehole water if ever they have to use it for human consumption,” said Mrs Mpofu.
Meanwhile, the local authority has further warned residents from connecting borehole water to the treated water system, saying this was also illegal as it could lead to the contamination of the system.
With the water crisis being experienced some households, especially in the low-density suburbs, are now connecting boreholes into their system to ease access.
“This condition is meant to avoid possible contamination of treated municipal water supplies with borehole water whose quality at any one time cannot be guaranteed,” said the council spokesperson.
According to Mrs Mpofu, this condition was guided by Section 45 of the Bulawayo (Sewerage, Drainage and Water) By-laws, SI 390 of 1980.
“No person shall cause or permit any water derived from a borehole or other source, including the council’s raw and reclaimed water supplies, to enter any pipe connected with the council’s domestic water supply.
“The council’s domestic water supply system shall not be connected to any pipe or system of pipes which themselves are fed with water from a borehole or other source,” reads part of the by law.
Online Reporter