By a Correspondent
The High Court has ordered Chitungwiza Municipality to stop unlawfully discharging raw or untreated sewage into water sources and the environment, following an application by the Environmental Management Agency (EMA).
The ruling, issued on September 30, 2026, under Case Number HCH3235/25, also directs the local authority to take all lawful and reasonably practicable measures within its mandate to prevent illegal sewage discharges and comply with environmental standards.
EMA spokesperson Amkela Sidange said the court intervention followed repeated engagements with the municipality, fines and environmental protection orders that failed to produce the required action.
The agency said it had been forced to seek judicial intervention to ensure compliance with the Environmental Management Act.
The ruling also gives EMA grounds to pursue contempt of court proceedings if the municipality continues to disregard the court order.
The latest judgment follows a similar ruling against the City of Harare on October 2, 2026, as EMA intensifies efforts to hold local authorities accountable for poor waste management practices.
The agency says sewage pollution remains a major environmental and public health concern, with monitored urban rivers showing high nutrient levels caused by raw and partially treated sewage entering the environment.
According to EMA, phosphate concentrations in some rivers have exceeded permissible limits by up to 12 times, while the discharge of untreated and partially treated sewage across the country is estimated at 415 megalitres daily.
Sidange said local authorities must prioritise investment in wastewater treatment systems and infrastructure to prevent further pollution and safeguard communities and natural ecosystems.
EMA is urging councils to adopt effective wastewater management practices and comply with environmental regulations to protect public health and the environment.
