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Temba Dube Senior Reporter
BULAWAYO residents are likely to start paying more for water as the Zimbabwe National Water Authority is set to start charging the local authority for water that it draws from Mtshabezi Dam. Bulawayo has been drawing water from Mtshabezi since January 11 last year, free of charge.
Zinwa is in charge of bulk water in the country.
Local authorities purify and distribute the water after buying it from Zinwa.
In a side interview during a tour of the city’s supply dams on Friday, Bulawayo Mayor Councillor Martin Moyo said council would have to pass the cost on to the residents.
“As soon as it is announced, we would have no option but to pass it on to residents. That is the only way we can maintain the high quality of water supply that Bulawayo is famed for. However, if the rate is too high, we can negotiate with Zinwa and the government to get some relief or have it reduced,” said Clr Moyo.
He said he was not sure how much more residents would have to pay because he had no idea what Zinwa was likely to charge the city for the water.
Council’s 2014 budget shows that at present, properties in the high density areas pay between $ 23,32 in areas like Makokoba and $28 in areas like Luveve per month for all services.
Low-density areas pay $33 to $66 in places like Northend and Burnside.
The charges are based on the assumption that residents use water within the rationing limit of 14 kilolitres per household every month.
Water represents the largest amount in council’s monthly bills.
The previous councillors had a heated debate on the Zinwa tariff issue in April last year.
They were concerned that if council continued drawing water without knowing what Zinwa would eventually charge, the local authority would accrue a bill that it would fail to pay when the charges were finally announced.
They were afraid that the charges would be backdated to the day council started pumping water from the dam.
At the time, Zinwa chief executive officer Engineer Albert Muyambo, said council had nothing to worry about.
He said it was too early to start charging Bulawayo for Mtshabezi Dam water.
“The Mtshabezi project is still at a trial stage, therefore council will not be charged for the water that they are getting now. We will only start billing them when Zesa has connected power to Mtshabezi,” said Eng Muyambo.
Electricity was connected to the Mtshabezi project in September last year.
Bulawayo’s deputy director of engineering services Engineer Ian Mthunzi told councillors during Friday’s tour that Zinwa told council it would use the three months between September and December as a final trial period before announcing a tariff.
Bulawayo is drawing about 15,000 cubic metres from Mtshabezi daily.
Online Reporter