The deceased
were sewage works attendants stationed at the plant in Glen View, which is the
largest sewage treatment plant in Harare with a design capacity of 144 000m3/d.
Wastewater
received from Greater Harare, discharged by domestic and industrial consumers,
is treated at the facility.
In a statement,
HCC said the National Social Security Authority was investigating the
circumstances leading to the deaths.
“In an
unfortunate and tragic incident, two City of Harare employees died at our
sewage treatment plant in Glen View this morning while on duty,” it said in a
statement yesterday.
“Police, the
National Social Security Authority and City of Harare officials are
investigating the matter.”
The Firle
sewage plant produces common wastewater gases like methane, which is explosive
when mixed with air and hydrogen sulphide, a toxic, foul-smelling gas.
A range of
other toxic gases, including poisonous gases such as ammonia and carbon
dioxide, can displace oxygen and cause asphyxiation.
Additionally,
gases like chlorine or ozone may be present if used for disinfection, as well
as other toxic gases from chemicals dumped into the waste system.
Sources told
NewsDay that hydrogen sulphide could have leaked from clogged pumps, while the
two were conducting routine maintenance work.
“We lost two
workers due to a gas attack, while trying to unblock clogged tanks at Firle
sewage works. While conducting periodic maintenance work, the workers were
trying to remove the grit that had choked the pumps,” said the source on
condition of anonymity.
“The gas must
have leaked. In wastewater treatment, when waste degrades, it forms hydrogen
sulphide.”
In the wake of
the deaths, the source added, the HCC human resources department and the
superintendent at the Firle plant immediately informed the wastewater technical
team.
“The technical
team was informed by human resources and the plant superintendent about the
unfortunate incident,” added the source.
“Where were the
gas masks and gas detectors? These plants are dilapidated and need to be
rehabilitated.”
The incident
comes a year after thousands of dead fish washed up on the shores of Lake
Chivero in what authorities attributed to bacterial poisoning sparked by the
discharge of raw sewage into the water body, which supplies the precious liquid
to the capital’s 1,5 million residents.
Wildlife,
including three zebras, four wildebeest and four fish eagles, died as a result
of drinking water contaminated with toxic cyanobacteria.
Harare City
Council discharges 80 million litres of raw sewage through a dilapidated
pipeline that runs from Amalinda to Firle sewage works into the lake. Newsday
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