News / Regional
Council reconnects water to scores of residents
14 Aug 2013 at 07:57hrs | Views
Gwanda Town Council has reconnected water to scores of residents who had been disconnected for outstanding bills.
The move by the local authority follows a directive from Government that all local authorities should write off residents' bills accumulated from 2009 up to 30 June this year.
In an interview, the Town Clerk, Mr Gilbert Mlilo, said council complied with the directive soon after it was issued just before the holding of harmonised elections on 31 July.
He said the council has since reconnected water to residents whose supplies were disconnected for outstanding bills.
"We complied with the directive before the elections and we have since reconnected all residents who had water disconnected," said Mr Mlilo.
He said council had engaged some experts to assist in upgrading the billing system to ensure that consumers had no outstanding payments reflecting in their water bills statements.
"We have experts coming to upgrade our system so that when we print statements there is no balance brought forward. We need to write off all the outstanding amounts as per directive," said Mr Mlilo.
However, the total amount that council has written off could not be ascertained.
"At the moment I don't have the figures at hand," he said.
The Government's directive is meant to cushion Zimbabweans who have over the years battled to clear arrears due to economic challenges brought about by the illegal sanctions imposed by Western countries.
Meanwhile, the construction of the five megalitre Spitzkop reservoir on top of Spitzkop Mountain in Gwanda Town is progressing well and is about 40 percent complete.
The project which was expected to be completed last year missed its deadline due to lack of funds.
Upon its completion, the project would ease water supply challenges faced by some residents in Spitzkop's high lying areas that are receiving very little water or no water at all.
The move by the local authority follows a directive from Government that all local authorities should write off residents' bills accumulated from 2009 up to 30 June this year.
In an interview, the Town Clerk, Mr Gilbert Mlilo, said council complied with the directive soon after it was issued just before the holding of harmonised elections on 31 July.
He said the council has since reconnected water to residents whose supplies were disconnected for outstanding bills.
"We complied with the directive before the elections and we have since reconnected all residents who had water disconnected," said Mr Mlilo.
He said council had engaged some experts to assist in upgrading the billing system to ensure that consumers had no outstanding payments reflecting in their water bills statements.
"We have experts coming to upgrade our system so that when we print statements there is no balance brought forward. We need to write off all the outstanding amounts as per directive," said Mr Mlilo.
"At the moment I don't have the figures at hand," he said.
The Government's directive is meant to cushion Zimbabweans who have over the years battled to clear arrears due to economic challenges brought about by the illegal sanctions imposed by Western countries.
Meanwhile, the construction of the five megalitre Spitzkop reservoir on top of Spitzkop Mountain in Gwanda Town is progressing well and is about 40 percent complete.
The project which was expected to be completed last year missed its deadline due to lack of funds.
Upon its completion, the project would ease water supply challenges faced by some residents in Spitzkop's high lying areas that are receiving very little water or no water at all.
Source - Chronicle
