aged system cannot cope with populationResidents here told The Zimbabwean that sewage pipes in suburbs such as Tshabalala, Nkulumane and Sizinda were constantly bursting due to corrosion and congestion. In some suburbs, up to 15 people are said to be occupying four-roomed houses, overloading the aged facilities.
Most of the four-roomed houses in the high density suburbs are designed to accommodate a maximum of six people. The situation is said to be particularly bad in Tshabalala, where stagnant sewerage in a stream near Mambo beer hall is now a time bomb.
This area is now a breeding ground for mosquitoes. The stench around the area is enough to drive even a fly away, said Never Ncube, a resident.
Ncube urged the local authority to revamp the sewerage system to cope with the rapidly growing population. A Sizinda family got the shock of their lives last week when a sewerage pipe burst right at their doorstep and flooded three rooms. The family had to be accommodated by a relative.
Just imagine spending hours surrounded by that muck, complained another resident.
Burst pipes have been a perennial problem in the suburb. There is always an unpleasant smell emanating from a stream near Westgate.
Bulawayo city council deputy director of engineering services, Job Jika Ndebele, said most of the sewer pipes in the city had outlived their lifespan.
The problem is that most of the citys main sewer pipes are 40 to 45 years old. They are giving in to pressure and this is why we have such a problem in the city, said Ndebele.
Another problem is caused by sand, which clogs the sewage system after getting in through galleys and water taps.
Sand drastically reduces the carrying capacity of pipes and this leads to clogging .People should not use sand to wash pots and plate near water taps, said Ndebele.
The citys existing sewer system put in place when Bulawayo was established in 1894, can no longer cope with the demands of the city s population of 1,5 million.
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