Africa-Press – Zimbabwe. Reuben Akili, Director of the Combined Harare Residents Association (CHRA), has criticised the ongoing pollution of Lake Chivero due to a lack of pre-treatment facilities for industrial waste and raw effluent in Harare.
Both the council and manufacturing industries have been accused of discharging untreated waste into the sewer system, a serious breach of environmental regulations. Said Akili:
“Section 59 of the Environmental Management Act calls for the installation of pre-treatment facilities, yet most industries do not comply.
“The local authority has acknowledged that they do not have pre-treatment facilities. Consequently, industries are also contributing to industrial pollution.
“The City of Harare does not have specific by-laws governing trade effluent, which regulates the discharge of industrial effluent into sewer systems; instead, it relies on the Environmental Management Act. For many firms, it is cheaper to pollute than to comply.”
Harare City Council reportedly fines offending companies an average of US$300 per offence, yet fails to implement measures to prevent further environmental damage.
In its 2026 budget proposal, the council increased fines to US$600, creating an additional revenue stream without translating into meaningful enforcement to protect the lake, according to local governance experts.
Environmental Management Agency (EMA) spokesperson Amkela Sidange described the situation as bleak, highlighting the deteriorating condition of Lake Chivero. She said:
“We have recorded low dissolved oxygen, meaning many organisms are competing for the same oxygen.
“The biological oxygen demand is also very high, indicating that numerous organisms need oxygen in the water body, largely due to the high nutrient load.
“Elevated nitrate levels, a sign of sewer contamination, further confirm that the lake is heavily polluted.”
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