ZINWA Fast-tracks Installation Of Prepaid Water Meters Nationwide
The Zimbabwe National Water Authority (ZINWA) is fast-tracking the installation of prepaid water meters nationwide with a target of 35 000 meters by year-end.
ZINWA board chair Engineer Bongile Ndiweni said the money the parastatal is owed by clients, including domestic consumers, local authorities, farmers, parastatals, and Government departments had ballooned to over $2 billion.
Mining companies and agricultural estates are among the debtors.
Speaking during the commissioning of Chimhanda water supply scheme in Rushinga recently, Eng Ndiweni said the non-payment of water bills was burdening the water authority in procuring water treatment chemicals, fuel, electricity, and spares.
She said the situation was hindering ZINWA from meeting statutory obligations which included paying taxes, levies, pensions, and credits. He said:
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The authority is looking for innovative ways and interventions to collect the money, including engaging debtors and raising awareness for clients to understand the inextricable relationship between payment of bills and service delivery.
We are also rolling out pre-paid water meters as a way of giving our clients control over their water consumption while offering them an opportunity to pay before water consumption.
The roll out has already started and we target to install 35 000 prepaid meters by year-end.
This will allow the authority to curb the growing number of debtors.
Prepaid water metres were in the past rejected by some stakeholders who argued that they would result in the poor going for long without the essential resource.
On the other hand, service providers argued that prepaid water meters will be essential in addressing the issue of overcharging or undercharging consumers.
More: The Herald
