Ratepayers owe Shurugwi $4m

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Shurugwi Town Council is owed $4 million by ratepayers in outstanding water bills, council chairman Tsungai Makore has said.

Shurugwi Town Council is owed $4 million by ratepayers in outstanding water bills, council chairman Tsungai Makore has said.

BY Stephen Chadenga

Makore said the failure by residents to settle their bills would be eased once the local authority adopted the prepaid water system.

“Council is owed $4m by ratepayers in outstanding water bills,” he said.

“So, very soon, we will start rolling out prepaid water meters at households and business premises.”

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Makore said the municipality would start by installing 3 000 prepaid water meters at selected houses and business premises before moving to introduce the new technology to all homes and commercial enterprises.

Makore said council had already gone through the tendering process, though he could not reveal the winning contractor.

He said council would recover outstanding amounts from ratepayers by charging a small percentage on purchased water meter vouchers.

“The platform on smart meters would allow us to collect outstanding amounts as a small percentage of vouchers purchased, this would ease the burden on consumers,” he said.

He said the response from residents was positive, as introducing prepaid water meters was the solution to water shortages faced by the mining town.

Other cities like Bulawayo and Harare have announced plans to introduce the prepaid water system, though they have faced stiff resistance from residents.

In September this year, Bulawayo residents demonstrated against the municipality’s decision to introduce the new technology.

Recently Harare City Council set aside $31 000 to conduct smart water meter awareness campaigns and consultations.