Sanitation Infrastructure Challenges in Old Suburbs in Ancient Cities: Experience from Zimbabwe, towards Achieving Sustainable Cities

The study pursued to appraise water supply, sanitation, and hygiene infrastructure in old high-density suburbs in Zimbabwe’s Ancient cities. Day-in-day indicators have shown that most old suburbs in most Ancient cities are failing to provide an improved state of sanitation infrastructure and proper water supply sanitation and hygiene (WASH) to its residents towards achieving sustainable development goal 6, that of ensuring availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all. A case study was conducted to explore the challenges that hamper the local authorities and the central government towards the provision of adequate water supply and sanitation infrastructure to its residents in Ancient cities. The study employed the exploratory qualitative approach that focuses on the interpretive paradigm. In-depth interviews (IDs) were conducted with ten key informants’ interviews (KIIs) drawn from resident committee members (RCMs 1-10) and nine members of council maintenance departments (CMDs -1-6). Four members from the engineering services department (ESDs-1-4) and two legislators (LEGs1-2) who grew up in these old high-density suburbs located in Ancient cities were purposively sampled to participate in the semi-structured face-to-face interviews. The results revealed that sanitation infrastructure challenges were attributed to, overpopulation in old suburbs that strains the aged sanitation infrastructure facilities such as sewer reticulation infrastructure that suffers from sewer pipe bursts and leaks as the pipes have outlived their lifespan. The results show that there was a mismatch between the then-installed sewer reticulation infrastructure facilities and the current population that uses the facilities to achieve sanitation and hygiene. The sanitation infrastructure has been exacerbated by a lack of regular maintenance and investment in new infrastructure. Inconsistency of no extension of funding for rehabilitation of sewer and water sanitation amenities, due to economic situation was mentioned. Despite the obvious risks, municipal responses have been slow and inadequate, and efforts to replace or repair the outdated infrastructure remain elusive despite several reports by residents. The study recommends that we decongest these residents, to achieve a healthy environment that meets public health standards.