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Locadia Mavhudzi Midlands Correspondent
Gweru residents have expressed mixed feelings towards council plans to install household pre-paid water meters next year.

Speaking during a 2019 budget consultation meeting with resident associations, advocacy and vendor groups at Town House, Gweru Residents Association president Mr Cornelia Selipiwe said the resolution by the council to install prepaid water meters can be a panacea towards unjustified water bills that are given to residents, particularly in medium and low density Areas.

“Prepaid system is welcome especially for residents in medium and low density areas because they are currently receiving high water bills which are unjustifiable. Imagine a household having to fork out $65 to $80 dollars on water every month,” said Mr Selipiwe.

Mr Staley Mazorodze, a resident, said water is a basic human right and therefore there is no need to ration its supply through the rolling out of pre-paid water meters.

“That is the worst decision you are making now,” he said. “You should have consulted the residents first because you are currently failing to supply us with portable water.

“You cite challenges of old pipes and disconnection of electricity at the main Gwenhoro pump. Installing prepaid meters is only adding salt to an injury.”

Mrs Stella Nyamufuka, a vendor representative said: “While you are targeting to improve revenue collection, you need to consider the water and sanitation implications. We are just coming out of a typhoid outbreak and you now want to ration water availability through those meters.

“We do not tolerate such a move. As vendors we want water to be readily available all the time so that we operate in hygienic environments.”

Council finance director, Mr Edgar Mwedzi said council was already rolling out a pilot project in Southdowns suburb.

“To improve revenue collected from water bills and to recover debts, we will be running a pilot project on pre-paid water meters early next year in Southdowns area,” he said. “We are optimistic that residents will be motivated to pay and use water sparingly as in the case of electricity payments.”

Residents and companies now owe council $62 million in unpaid water and other rates up from $55 million over the past eight months, a development attributed to council’s failure to deliver critical services such as water supply and refuse collection.