The City of Harare has urged residents to use larger buckets when flushing toilets to reduce sewer blockages. The directive follows warnings that small containers used during water rationing are failing to push waste through pipelines, leaving it trapped and disrupting the system.
Engineer Simon Muserere from the city’s Department of Water said water shortages have forced households to improvise with small tins and containers. However, he explained that this practice is worsening the capital’s sewage problems. “When you use a very small tin, it might clear your toilet, but the load remains in the pipeline. A larger bucket helps push waste through to the treatment plant,” Muserere said.
According to Muserere, sewer blockages have sharply increased, with most caused by poor flushing methods and the dumping of unsuitable waste. He noted that 60% of problems come from residents’ habits, while only 40% are linked to structural faults or wear and tear. He added that adopting better flushing practices could save the city from repeated and costly repairs.
Household waste such as rags, sand and kitchen utensils has also been found in sewer lines, compounding the problem. Muserere revealed that sewage plants used to receive over four tonnes of sand daily, which helped maintain what engineers call a “self-cleansing velocity.” Currently, three to four tonnes of sand remain trapped in pipelines instead of reaching treatment facilities. “That self-cleansing velocity is lost,” he said.
The engineer emphasized that bigger buckets could help restore part of the natural flow and reduce pressure on municipal resources. He appealed to residents to adjust their habits and be cautious about what they dispose of in toilets. “If we cut down the sixty percent caused by residents, we can focus our limited resources on fixing structural issues and avoid overstraining the city’s budget,” he said.
Muserere further disclosed that the city has been forced to deploy high-velocity clearing machines and conduct expensive excavations to open blocked sewer lines. He warned that these costly measures are not sustainable. “We need cooperation from residents. Bigger buckets make a huge difference,” he concluded.
