News / Local
BCC to go ahead with installation of pre-paid water meters
31 Dec 2013 at 17:57hrs | Views
THE Bulawayo City Council (BCC) has said it will go ahead with installation of pre-paid water meters despite stiff resistance from residents.
This comes two weeks after 30 residents associations across the country met in the city and resolved that the installation of pre-paid water meters would infringe on residents' right to water provision.
The residents associations' summit was held to look into issues affecting residents in the country.
Responding to written questions from Chronicle, council's senior public relations officer Nesisa Mpofu said pre-paid meters were meant to force residents to pay their bills.
"Consumers are unwilling to pay. In most cases they will delay payment or pay when they feel like or are forced to pay hence the council is owed a lot of money in unpaid bills," said Mpofu.
She said the metres would also improve service delivery.
"Pre-paid water meters will ensure that the council receives money in time so as to enable it to maintain an efficient water supply service to residents," she said.
Mpofu said pre-paid water meters were also going to deal with problems of estimated meter readings and reduce billing errors.
"The benefits of pre-paid water meters to residents are that residents pay for the actual amount of water they will have used and not have estimates or incorrect amounts due to faulty meters or incorrect readings," she said.
Mpofu said pre-paid water meters were going to benefit both the residents and the council.
"The introduction of pre-paid water meters will bring about a "win win" situation to both the consumers and the council."
"The residents will receive an efficient water supply when they promptly pay for what they consume on the other hand the council will maintain an efficient service delivery to its residents as it will be having resources to do that," said Mpofu.
Last year the local authority wrote off about $46 million owed by residents, under the Government directive for debt relief on residents.
In the months leading to the council complying with the Government directive to write off bills, revenue collection declined from $6,9 million a month to $2,4 million as residents resisted paying bills.
This comes two weeks after 30 residents associations across the country met in the city and resolved that the installation of pre-paid water meters would infringe on residents' right to water provision.
The residents associations' summit was held to look into issues affecting residents in the country.
Responding to written questions from Chronicle, council's senior public relations officer Nesisa Mpofu said pre-paid meters were meant to force residents to pay their bills.
"Consumers are unwilling to pay. In most cases they will delay payment or pay when they feel like or are forced to pay hence the council is owed a lot of money in unpaid bills," said Mpofu.
She said the metres would also improve service delivery.
"Pre-paid water meters will ensure that the council receives money in time so as to enable it to maintain an efficient water supply service to residents," she said.
Mpofu said pre-paid water meters were also going to deal with problems of estimated meter readings and reduce billing errors.
"The benefits of pre-paid water meters to residents are that residents pay for the actual amount of water they will have used and not have estimates or incorrect amounts due to faulty meters or incorrect readings," she said.
Mpofu said pre-paid water meters were going to benefit both the residents and the council.
"The introduction of pre-paid water meters will bring about a "win win" situation to both the consumers and the council."
"The residents will receive an efficient water supply when they promptly pay for what they consume on the other hand the council will maintain an efficient service delivery to its residents as it will be having resources to do that," said Mpofu.
Last year the local authority wrote off about $46 million owed by residents, under the Government directive for debt relief on residents.
In the months leading to the council complying with the Government directive to write off bills, revenue collection declined from $6,9 million a month to $2,4 million as residents resisted paying bills.
Source - Chronicle
