The Upper Manyame Sub-Catchment Council (UMSCC) in Zimbabwe has identified the presence of Escherichia coli (E.coli), a cholera-causing bacteria, in boreholes across 14 residential areas of Harare.
This discovery comes amid a cholera outbreak in Zimbabwe, with more than 7,000 cases recorded in 2024 thus far.
The boreholes in both upmarket and cholera-prone areas pose a health risk to the hundreds of thousands relying on the water because council water is unsafe.
UMSCC has advised residents not to use untreated water from boreholes in the affected areas for drinking, cooking, or washing.
The situation adds to the challenges faced by Zimbabwe in addressing ongoing cholera outbreaks, with over 20,000 people affected and 370 deaths reported as of January 2024.