Mining communities in Zimbabwe are facing a dire water pollution crisis, with both surface and underground water resources being severely contaminated. According to Hardlife Mudzingwa, national coordinator of the Community Water Alliance (CWA), mining activities have led to alarming levels of physical, microbiological, and chemical pollution in water sources within these areas.
Mudzingwa highlighted these concerns during a recent workshop in Harare for journalists, organised as part of the Fostering Accountability, Integrity, and Responsibility on Mining in Zimbabwe (FAIR Project). He explained that harmful substances, including cyanide, are being discharged into rivers and tailing dams, posing significant health risks to local residents.
The pollution’s consequences extend beyond environmental damage, with communities bearing the heavy costs of purifying contaminated water. This has placed an added burden on local populations, many of whom already struggle to secure access to clean, safe drinking water.
The FAIR Project aims to address these challenges by reducing hydrological and climatic vulnerability, enhancing water resource management capacities, and promoting sustainable practices for both land and aquatic ecosystems. The project’s recent training workshop was designed to empower journalists with the knowledge and skills needed to effectively cover mining-related issues in Zimbabwe.
Mudzingwa stressed the importance of urgent attention to the growing water pollution crisis, calling for action from relevant authorities to protect the health and wellbeing of the affected communities. “The health and wellbeing of local residents depend on it,” he said, underscoring the critical need for immediate intervention.
