Gwenhoro Dam water safe for human consumption — EMA

THE Environmental Management Agency (EMA) has said Gweru’s potable water from its supply dam, Gwenhoro, is safe for human consumption.

In an interview, EMA Midlands provincial education and publicity officer Mr Simon Musasiwa said results from a two-year water sampling of Gwenhoro Dam indicated that it was safe from any form of significant pollution and chemicals.

EMA findings are coming at a time when eight people have succumbed to typhoid outbreak which has seen over 1 500 people being treated of the water-bone disease in the past month allegedly due to unsafe tap or borehole water.

“The quality of water at Gwenhoro Dam over a two-year sampling period does not show any significant pollution in terms of chemical parameters or significant pollution taking place at the dam,” he said.

Mr Musasiwa said the water testing was mainly checking traces of chemicals, which include phosphates and nitrates among others.

“Parameters checked for included phosphates, iron, biological oxygen demand, electrical conductivity, PH nitrates and dissolved oxygen,” he said.

“We found out that the water is safe or doesn’t contain those which can be harmful to humans.

“However, people must not drink directly from the dam.

“The water needs to be processed first, so it’s unsafe to drink directly from the dam.”

Two weeks ago, the Minister of Health and Child Care Dr David Parirenyatwa said borehole and tap water in Gweru was unsafe for human consumption following the outbreak of typhoid in the city.

Dr Parirenyatwa said illegal water connections as well as chemicals from mining activities in Gweru could be the source of typhoid.

Following the condemnation of Gweru water, Government has been providing water treatment tablets to residents in a bid to manage the disease.

To date, over 1 560 residents have been treated for typhoid while others are still admitted in Government, council and private health institutions in Gweru from July 23 when the first case was recorded.