Politics & General News

EMA Drags Chinhoyi Council To Court For Discharging Raw Sewage Into Major Rivers

he Environmental Management Agency (EMA) has dragged Chinhoyi Mu-incapacity to court accusing it of spewing 18 megalitres of raw sewer into key rivers, Manyame and Hunyani daily.EMA argues that the local authority is endangering aquatic life and downstream communities that rely on the rivers water for domestic uses.The matter will be heard on April 21, 2022.In a recent media alert, the environmental watchdog lamented the continued discharge leading to the deterioration of water quality supplied to the town’s residents and surrounding areas and exposing highly toxic pollutants to aquatic ecosystems.“The continued discharge of raw sewage and industrial effluent by the council is in direct contravention of section 57(1) as read with section 70 of the Environmental Management Act Chapter 20:27, which prohibits the discharge or application of any poison or toxic, noxious or obstructing matter, radio-active waste or other pollutants into the aquatic environment in contravention of water pollution control standards,” EMA said.This is not the first time EMA is approaching the courts for redress as previously in 2012, 2015 and 2020 the agency sought to compel council to take corrective actions.It has also slapped Chinhoyi Municipality with penalties and environment protection orders, but no corrective measures were instituted, forcing compilation of a fresh docket.“We remain concerned with the continued discharge of raw sewage and industrial effluent into Manyame River. We call upon the council to expeditiously put in place pollution abatement meas-ures to avoid the continued deterioration of the quality of water in Manyame River. Water pollution remains the greatest threat to biological diversity, health food chains, supply of clean water and healthy communities.”

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