The Zimbabwe Government recently ordered local authorities to install pre-paid water meters to increase council revenues. Urban Councils Association mayor Bernard Manyenyeni said standards metering systems have failed councils.
Mr. Manyenyeni said that so as to fund current and future water solutions, there ought to be a certain assurance concerning water revenues. Kadoma civil authority Muchineripi Chinyanganya added that the choice should guarantee secured revenue for councils.
Masvingo mayor Hubert Fidze said residents had demanded pre-paid water meters. This is because unlike with the standard meters, the pre-paid water metres enable them to manage and pay off their water charges.
According to Finance and Economic Development Minister Patrick Chinamasa, the government is seeking ways to help native authorities; ruling out another debt cancellation for residents.
Also read:Harare to receive US $15m in Water Meters
Debt write-offs
He said councils lost over US$ 500m following the 2013 debt write off. The 2013 call, Government said, crippled most councils and measures were being thought-about to assist the affected native authorities.
He urged the native authorities to put in pre-paid water meters to assist boost revenue assortment. This will also help in doing away with unsustainable employment prices. Minister Chinamasa said Government ordered Zesa Holdings to install pre-paid meters to assist revenue assortment. He added that and councils should follow suit.
In 2013, Government ordered all ninety two rural and concrete councils to write-off debts owed by residents. That is dating back to Feb 2009 to June of that year. This followed complaint over arrears caused by unwarranted increase in rate, particularly in urban areas.
As of July this year, major native authorities were owed over US $1 billion in unpaid bills by residents, Government, business and commerce, a situation partly to blame for poor service delivery by most councils.
