Bulawayo Council Commissions Six Sewer Projects, warns Residents Against Dumping Foreign Objects
Matebeleland Pulse Reporter
The City of Bulawayo has commissioned six rehabilitated sewer outfall sites as it steps up efforts to tackle recurring sewer blockages, while warning residents against dumping foreign objects into the sewer system.
In a statement yesterday, the City said the latest projects were part of its ongoing programme to rehabilitate areas identified as sewer choke hotspots across Bulawayo.
The municipality said it had commissioned five sites on Friday, 21 August, in Nketa 6, Nketa 8, Nketa 9, Mabutweni and Mzilikazi, before commissioning another site in Old Magwegwe on Monday.
“The City of Bulawayo on Friday, 21 August 2026 and Monday, 24 August 2026 commissioned six rehabilitated outfall sewers in line with the ongoing efforts to improve sanitation in the City,” the council said.
The latest projects bring the number of completed sewer hotspot rehabilitations to 11 this year, against a target of 39 sites.
“The Municipality is in the process of rehabilitating areas identified as sewer choke hotspots in partnership with four contractors,” the City said.
The rehabilitation work includes replacing old sewer pipes, repairing damaged manholes and putting in place measures intended to prevent vandalism and blockages.
However, council said infrastructure rehabilitation alone would not solve the problem, citing the disposal of foreign objects into the sewer network as another major contributor to sewer chokes.
“Engineers raised concern that while the Municipal infrastructure might be ageing, residents were also disposing of foreign objects into the sewer system. With blankets, spoons, diapers and plastics [are] being removed from the sewer system, causing the chokes,” council said.
The disclosure highlights the dual challenge facing the city: ageing infrastructure on one hand and human behaviour on the other.
Council said the problem was particularly pronounced in the western suburbs, where about 70 percent of sewer chokes are reportedly recorded.
“It was also revealed that 70 percent of the sewer chokes are reported in western suburbs,” the City said, while encouraging residents to protect the rehabilitated infrastructure.
Councillors representing the affected wards also attended the commissioning ceremonies and challenged residents to use the sewer infrastructure responsibly.
Among those present were Ward 22 councillor Mmeli Moyo, Ward 24 councillor Tavengwa Zidya, Ward 25 councillor Aleck Ndlovu, Ward 14 councillor Dumisani Netha and Ward 18 councillor Felix Madzana.
The municipality is also addressing vandalism and theft of manhole covers, which can leave sewer infrastructure exposed and create additional maintenance challenges.
“Council is also in the process of replacing missing manhole covers across the City, which were vandalised or stolen,” the statement said.
As part of the initiative, the City is replacing cast-iron manhole lids with polymer and concrete alternatives.
“It is also in the process of replacing cast iron manhole lids with polymer and concrete ones, which have no scrap value,” council said.
Residents have also been encouraged to report missing manhole covers to the municipality through its social media platforms.
The latest rehabilitation projects come as Bulawayo continues efforts to improve sanitation and reduce the frequency of sewer blockages. However, council’s warning suggests that maintaining the rehabilitated infrastructure will also depend on residents changing practices that contribute to sewer chokes.
