Is Tap Water Safe to Drink in Zimbabwe?
Tap water in Zimbabwe, including the capital Harare, is not safe to drink without treatment. Decades of economic decline have left water treatment infrastructure severely underfunded, leading to recurring typhoid and cholera outbreaks tied directly to contaminated municipal supply.
Water Source
Harare draws water primarily from Lake Chivero via the Morton Jaffray Water Works, one of the largest treatment plants in the country, but chronic underinvestment, chemical shortages, and aging pipes dating to the colonial era severely limit reliable treated output. Bulawayo relies on a network of supply dams including Insiza and Mtshabezi, which face their own capacity and drought-related constraints.
Contaminants & Concerns
Lake Chivero itself is heavily polluted with sewage and industrial effluent from Harare's own inadequate wastewater treatment, meaning the treatment plant must process already contaminated source water with insufficient chemical supply, a combination linked to major cholera outbreaks in 2008–2009 and typhoid outbreaks recurring through the 2010s and 2020s. Distribution network leaks further contaminate water that does receive treatment.
Regional Variations
Harare's low-income suburbs, including Mbare and Glen View, have been repeated epicenters of cholera and typhoid outbreaks due to the most severe combination of intermittent supply and sewage cross-contamination, while Bulawayo faces chronic water rationing tied to drought-strained supply dams.
Water Hardness
Lake Chivero-sourced water in Harare is moderately hard, typically around 120–220 mg/L, while groundwater from boreholes used as emergency supply in high-density suburbs can vary more widely depending on local geology..
Do Locals Drink Tap Water?
Many Harare residents rely on private boreholes, wells, or boiled water due to unreliable and often contaminated municipal supply, while bottled water is used by those who can afford it, particularly during outbreak periods.
Tips for Travelers
- •Drink only bottled or boiled water throughout Zimbabwe
- •Avoid tap water entirely in Harare's high-density suburbs
- •Boil water for at least one minute or use chlorine treatment as a backup
- •Avoid ice from informal vendors and unverified sources
Recommended Precautions
- •Follow official cholera and typhoid outbreak advisories closely, especially in Harare's high-density suburbs
- •Avoid unregulated shallow boreholes near pit latrines or sewage infrastructure
Frequently Asked Questions
Sources & References
The safety rating and guidance on this page draw on the following sources. See our full methodology.
- •WHO Guidelines for Drinking-water Quality
- •CDC Travelers' Health destination pages
- •WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme (JMP)
- •National and municipal water utility public quality reports