The Insiza Rural District Council, which runs Filabusi urban service centre imposed new by-laws granting it the authority to disconnect water supplies to defaulting ratepayers after issuing a one-month notice.
This is contained in the latest Statutory Instrument 168 of 2025, which establishes clear rules for water service provision, billing, and disconnection in the Filabusi urban service centre and surrounding areas.
A key provision in Section 6 states that the owner, occupier, and consumer of a property are “jointly and severally liable” for the payment of all water supply charges.
According to Section 7(1), the council may “cut off or restrict the supply to any consumer” after providing at least one month’s notice.
Grounds for disconnection include a failure to pay any sum due by the deadline or a breach of by-laws relating to the waste, misuse, or contamination of the water supply.
“In respect of water services provided for any premises, the owner, occupier and consumer are, in accordance with the council’s by-laws and policies relating to credit control and debt collection, jointly and severally liable and responsible for payment of all applicable charges for water supply and for all water supply services consumed in respect of the premises,” the SI read.
The by-laws further stipulate that consumers will be charged a fee for both the disconnection and any subsequent reconnection of the service, regardless of whether the fault lies with the council.
The new rules also address the use of prepayment meters states no refunds will be given for purchased water credit once the payment token has been generated and that the council is not liable for credit lost due to meter tampering or misuse.
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The cost of repairing leaks occurring after the prepaid meter falls to the consumer.
The by-laws outline a process for terminating the water supply agreement.
A consumer can end the agreement by giving the council10 working days’ written notice.
“Council may, by notice in writing of not less than ten days, advise a consumer of the termination of his or her agreement for theprovision of water supply services if— the consumer has not used the water supply services during the preceding six months and has not made arrangements to the satisfaction of the council for the continuation of the agreement; or the consumer has failed to comply with the provisions of these by-laws and, on receiving notice in terms of section 6 (1) has failed to remedy the non-compliance, failed to pay any tariffs or charges due and payable by him or her after the procedure set out in the council’s by-laws relating to credit control and debt collection has been followed,” the SI reads.
It noted that where any agreement for supply between the council and the consumer has been terminated, the council may disconnect such supply, provided that no such disconnection shall be carried out where a new consumer accepts liability for payment for water consumed from the date of the previous ordinary reading of the meter.
The by-law noted that the council undertakes only to supply potable water suitable for domestic purposes.
