The Upper Manyame Sub-Catchment houses the capital city of Zimbabwe with competing water use sectors such as domestic, industrial, institutional and agricultural sectors.
However, in recent years, there has been a growing problem of illegal water abstraction in the sub-catchment.
Illegal water abstraction is the unauthorized removal of water from a water source. This can be done through a variety of methods, including:
· Drilling boreholes without a permit
· Abstracting water from rivers and streams without a license
· Stealing water from dams and other water storage facilities
Illegal water abstraction has several negative effects on the sub-catchment. These include:
· Depleting water supplies
· Water supply from polluted sources.
· Reducing the availability of water for agriculture
· Increasing the risk of waterborne diseases
In the first quarter of the year, bulk water theft, borehole drilling, sand mining, and surface water theft were minimal due to the abundant availability of water in the rainy season.
However, as the Water Resources and Compliance Officers continued to conduct spot checks and inspections across the Sub-catchment, some illegal activities were identified and enforcement of the law was done.
The public can also help to combat illegal water abstraction by reporting any suspicious activity to the Water Resources and Compliance Officers.
What You Can Do to Help
There are several things that you can do to help combat illegal water abstraction:
· Report any suspicious activity to the Water Resources and Compliance Officers.
·Report bulk water selling within residential properties.
· Report any suspicious activity to the Water Resources and Compliance Officers.
· Report any borehole drilling activity
· Educate yourself about the problem of illegal water abstraction.
· Get involved in your community and work to raise awareness of the problem.
· Support organizations that are working to combat illegal water abstraction.
By working together, we can help to protect our water resources and ensure that everyone has access to clean, safe water.