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Fungai Lupande
Mashonaland Central Bureau
The Environment Management Agency (EMA) is urging residents, farmers, and miners in Mashonaland Central to test their water sources as some may be contaminated due to rapid urbanisation and uncontrolled underground water seepage from sewages and septic tanks.
Speaking during exhibitions at the just-ended provincial agriculture show, EMA educationist and publicity officer Mr Maxwell Mupotsa said domestic water should be tested for alkalinity, sodium, and nitrate levels.
He said these parameters have the potential to harm or affect people’s health. He highlighted the importance of siting septic tanks at least 30 meters away from boreholes or wells to prevent pathogenic bacteria contamination, which can lead to health issues such as diarrhoea, nausea, cramps, dysentery, and hepatitis.
“As an agency we test water for various parameters, including turbidity, alkalinity, and pH,” he said.
Mr Mupotsa further noted that the El Nino effect has resulted in reduced water availability, underscoring the need to protect scarce water resources during this period.
Their laboratory, he said, conducts monthly ambient water monitoring to enforce the conservation and preservation of natural water bodies, aiming to control pollution levels resulting from mining and farming chemicals.
He also advised farmers to test the quality of water used for irrigation to ensure high-quality yields.
Bongani Ndlovu
Online Reporter