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Bridgette Moyo Midlands Reporter
WATER challenges bedevilling some suburbs in Zvishavane town where council was planning to roll out prepaid metres, have forced the local authority to shelve the programme to a later date.

Town secretary Mr Tinoda Mukutu said it was pointless to roll out the programme now when the supply of water was erratic.

He said council had planned to roll out the programme starting with Eastlea suburb and the Central Business District, but had been forced to shelve plans.

“We are currently facing water challenges as a council and that has affected the prepaid water meters roll out programme,” said Mr Mukutu. “So, we have resolved to commence the programme beginning June hoping that water challenges in the selected areas such as the Central Business District and Eastlea suburb would have been addressed.”

Mr Mukutu said residents who have water bill arrears will still make use of the prepaid water metres, but they will pay their arrears as they make use of the meters.

He said council came up with a method that they will implement when the metres are put in place.

“We managed to come up with a strategy on how people will clear their arrears at the same time using the prepaid water metres,” said Mr Mukutu. “The council will take a certain amount when the residents purchase their water so as to ensure that the arrears are cleared.

“Just like the Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission and Distribution Company prepaid metres we are going to implement the very same methods they use to clear arrears.

“We are very much looking forward to rolling out these prepaid metres as people in the CBD and Eastlea are awaiting this new system. As soon as we manage to resolve our challenges the work begins.”

The local authority last month said it is engaging Shabani Mashava Mines to write of a $14 million debt in exchange of the use of Runde Pump Station in order to increase water supply in the mining town.