The Zimbabwe National Water Authority (ZINWA) was owed over US$63 million as at September 1, 2016, by local authorities and farmers.
Of that amount, councils owed ZINWA about US$32 million, while the balance was owed by farmers.
Beitbridge and Gwanda were the biggest debtors, owing US$12 million and US$9,5 million, respectively.
Failure by farmers and municipalities to pay for their water has had dire consequences on the water authority.
The parastatal is operating on a shoe-string budget which has impaired its ability to timely procure spares for water treatment plants.
Consequently, ZINWA has not been able to carry out dam maintenance on time as well as clearing obligations such as the payment of salaries, taxes, levies and pensions.
For instance, its workers have not been paid for the past eight months.
There is concern among residents that poor maintenance of water works could trigger a major health crisis given that the quality of raw water in supply dams continues to deteriorate.
ZINWA alleges that urban councils are diverting resources meant for the payment of water towards other uses.
As such, the authority is contemplating taking legal action in order to recover its dues.
In the meantime, it has unleashed debt collectors on farmers in irrigations schemes.
Farmers had a bad 2015/16 season owing to the El-Nino-induced drought, which deprived them of income.
Because of the drought, coupled with the need to prepare for the 2016/17 agricultural season, farmers have not been able to meet some of their bills.
There are also situations whereby residents and farmers have paid for the resource, but the money is not being remitted to ZINWA by their local authorities.
ZINWA chief executive officer, Jefta Sakupwanya, said Mutare was the only council that was up to date with its payments.
“… the other councils are not paying,” he said.
ZINWA had hoped to stop the accumulation of water bills by introducing pre-paid water meters, but it has met with resistance from councils.
Attempts to convince local authorities to take up the initiative have reached an impasse as the city fathers fear a backlash from residents who already owe millions of greenbacks in water bills.
While local authorities have also been toying with the idea of introducing pre-paid water meters, there is no consensus at the moment between them and residents.
In Gwanda, after bulk prepaid water meters were installed by ZINWA on October 2, there was an outcry from residents.
“So we are in the process of engaging the residents and the (Gwanda) town council so that we find a solution,” said Sakupwanya.
“Councils are not paying, but we try to discuss with them before taking further legal action. So the ZINWA board is currently meeting councils, encouraging them to pay so that we continue to offer them this service,” he added.
Urban Councils Association of Zimbabwe president, Bernard Manyenyeni, said the debt relief given to residents by President Robert Mugabe’s government ahead of the 2013 elections impacted negatively on councils’ capacity to pay their debts.
“We will continue to owe ZINWA because we are also owed by government departments. There is cross indebtedness and there will always be a vicious cycle of debt,” he said.
