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Innocent Ruwende Senior Reporter
The planned rollout of 100 000 pre-paid water meters in Harare is optional and is in response to residents’ complaints against estimated billing, Mayor Councillor Herbert Gomba has said. In an interview last week following some objections by residents’ associations, Cllr Gomba said council was giving an opportunity to residents who want to pay in advance before using water.

“We are working on the implementation of prepaid water meters,” he said. “It is optional. We started by asking residents who would like to be connected to the system to come forward.

“It addresses issues to do with estimated billing issues which have been prominent among residents’ association queries who accused council of overcharging people using estimates.

“In response to that, we feel we need to address that once and for all and as a listening council, particularly listening to the residents’ associations, we are coming up with these interventions. We have to address the concerns.”

Cllr Gomba said council was encouraging citizen participation as individual residents were able to make a choice, particularly on issues to do with the mode of payment they preferred.

He said those who wanted prepaid meters were as important as those who wanted conventional meters.

“What council is simply doing is to listen and give the opportunity to those who want pre-payment as a mode of payment,” said Cllr Gomba. “It saves money. It saves water. It is an innovation that is meant to manage people’s debts.

“We are calling upon people who are interested to come forward in their individual capacities. Our tender was approved and some companies were awarded. What is left for us is to come up with a package that addresses the requirements of the companies who were awarded the tenders.”

Cllr Gomba said council was looking at installing 100 000 prepaid meters and some funds had been set aside in the 2019 budget.

There has been some resistance from residents associations to proposals to install prepaid meters although the success of the prepaid electricity meters by Zesa has been used as an example of how people will accept prepaid essential utilities.

Council feels the associations are not representing residents’ views on the matter.

The shift to prepaid meters will also ensure the council is paid for water used and that residents will tend to manage water usage better.