Zimbabwe’s Capital Contaminated Its Water. Now, Residents Must Pay to Use It.
Residents spend as much as 20% of their income on water, yet what comes from their taps is green, dirty and undrinkable. Now, privatization looms, threatening even higher costs.
For years, this country’s capital city has discharged sewage into its main water supply. Then, the city started charging to purify the water — a cost that locals say eats as much as a fifth of their income. The water they receive isn’t even clean.
Now, the City Council may privatize the water system. In January, Daniel Garwe, the local government minister, announced that the government has invited both local and international companies to submit proposals. The shift could lead to higher water bills.
