By Fanuel Chinowaita
CHIADZWA, 29 May 2025– Villagers living in the Jinan Relocation Area of Chiadzwa are raising alarm over a potential health hazard caused by untreated sewage that has been overflowing from full septic tanks for nearly three months.
The affected area, located near tuckshops and homesteads, is now saturated with raw effluent, with cattle reportedly drinking the contaminated water. Residents fear this situation could lead to outbreaks of diseases such as cholera and malaria.
“A septic tank is overflowing and sewage is now all over. Cattle are drinking from it, and it’s near our homes and shops,” said a concerned villager through the Zimbabwe Diamond and Allied Workers Union (ZIDAWU) WhatsApp group. “We need urgent intervention to make sure something is done before people start getting sick.”
Contacted for comment, ZCDC Corporate Affairs Executive Sugar Chagonda dismissed the claims.
“There is nothing like that at ZCDC. You can double check with your sources,” he said.
However, eyewitnesses and affected villagers maintain that the situation is real and worsening.
“I live here and I’m seeing this with my own eyes. The sewage has been flowing for weeks. If you were here, I’d show you the pools of waste. I even sent a video to prove it,” said one villager, who spoke on condition of anonymity.
“The same thing happened last year. We complained, and only then did something get done. Now it’s happening again, and no one is listening.”
ZIDAWU Chairperson Cosmas Sunguro said the situation poses a serious risk to both human and animal health.
“This is a potential health hazard not just to villagers but to the public at large. Cattle are drinking sewage water, and that meat ends up on our tables,” Sunguro said. “Last year, we traced this to overflowing septic tanks that are not being drained regularly. It’s unacceptable for this to be happening again.”
Efforts to obtain a comment from local health experts on the risks posed by the situation were unsuccessful by the time of publication.
Residents are now appealing to ZCDC, local authorities, and public health officials to act urgently to contain the sewage overflow and prevent a possible outbreak.