Harare — The Combined Harare Residents Association (CHRA) has declared the escalating water pollution crisis in Harare a “state of national disaster”, revealing that a staggering 250 million litres of raw sewage flows into Lake Chivero daily while industries exploit weak enforcement mechanisms because “it’s cheaper to pollute rather than comply”.

Speaking at a press conference in the capital, CHRA Chairperson David Pasipanodya said the continued contamination of water sources violates residents’ constitutionally guaranteed rights to a clean environment and safe, potable water under Sections 73 and 77 of the Constitution.

The crisis has directly hit residents’ pockets, with the City of Harare hiking water charges from US$1.24 to US$1.89 per cubic metre in high-density suburbs, while tariffs in low-density areas rose from US$1.70 to US$2.34. The local authority now requires up to 10 chemicals to treat heavily polluted water at an estimated cost of US$3 million per month.

Mr Pasipanodya identified the primary culprits as industries violating the Environmental Management Act [Chapter 20:27] by discharging untreated effluent into municipal sewer systems without mandatory pre-treatment facilities. The malfunctioning of sewer infrastructure in Crowborough, Firle, and Chitungwiza has compounded the challenge.

However, CHRA’s research has uncovered critical regulatory failures that allow the pollution to persist unchecked. The association cited fragmented legislation, overlapping institutional mandates, limited coordination among stakeholders, and weak enforcement as fundamental gaps hindering equitable water service delivery.

“In Zimbabwe, it’s cheaper to pollute rather than comply with environmental water laws,” the statement read.

The organisation noted that polluter permit fees and fines are often not commensurate with the environmental damage caused and are not effectively channelled towards remediation. Discretionary powers granted to environmental officers in assessing penalties create room for inconsistencies and weak deterrence, allowing industries to continue discharging toxic effluent while paying nominal fees.

The pollution has also devastated livelihoods, with the government maintaining a ban on fishing at Lake Chivero. However, CHRA warned that illegal netting activities persist, with contaminated fish being sold to unsuspecting residents and restaurants in Harare. The association urged residents to stop buying fish from the lake due to serious health consequences.

Going forward, CHRA has developed a Model Statutory Instrument on the “Polluter Pays Principle” aimed at strengthening environmental governance and ensuring polluters finance remediation costs. The association also called on Parliament to expedite reforms to the Environmental Management Act, ZINWA Act, and Water Act.

While acknowledging government efforts on river rehabilitation through a Statutory Instrument gazetted in June under the Civil Protection Act, CHRA maintained that the situation at Lake Chivero deserves urgent attention and is, in itself, a state of national disaster.