derick.khumalo
Mkhululi Ncube
[email protected]
THE Bulawayo City Council (BCC) says it is moving ahead with plans to introduce pre-paid water meters as part of a broader strategy to improve revenue collection, reduce debt and enhance service delivery.
The move, which has previously faced resistance from residents, now has Government backing, with council saying preparations are underway before implementation begins.
Under the proposed system, residents will purchase water in advance, similar to the current pre-paid electricity model, replacing the existing post-paid billing arrangement.
The development comes as the local authority battles a mounting debt of ZWG2,728 billion in unpaid rates and service charges.
According to council figures, residents account for the largest share of the debt, owing ZWG1,950 billion, representing 71 percent of the total arrears. Industry owes ZWG586 million (22 percent), while Government departments owe ZWG191 million, accounting for the remaining seven percent.
Speaking during a media engagement at the council chambers on Wednesday, Bulawayo Chamber Secretary Mrs Sikhangele Zhou, who was representing Town Clerk Mr Christopher Dube, said the introduction of pre-paid water meters was a key component of council’s revenue enhancement strategy.
“The plan is to start with pre-paid water meters because water is the next biggest component after rates on your bill. The plan is to move to pre-paid water meters and that is the City’s strategy, and we are in agreement with Government on that.
“In terms of moving, we are still putting in place the processes, the procurement of those water meters and the practicalities of how we work it out, but the general thinking is that we move towards pre-paid water meters,” she said.
Mrs Zhou also revealed that council had formally registered Amanzi AkoBulawayo, the city’s proposed standalone water utility, as efforts to operationalise the entity gather momentum.
She said council was now focusing on funding mechanisms and institutional arrangements required to make the utility operational.
“We have registered Amanzi AkoBulawayo Company that is going to run the utility. We are now working on the strategies of making it alive. We are making the preparations in terms of funding. We have appointed an interim board which will oversee it during the set-up phase while we look for permanent board members,” she said.
The establishment of Amanzi AkoBulawayo forms part of council’s long-term strategy to improve water and sanitation service delivery through a dedicated utility expected to operate with greater efficiency and financial sustainability.
The proposed introduction of pre-paid water meters and the operationalisation of the water utility are among a raft of measures being pursued by the local authority to strengthen revenue collection, improve accountability and ensure more sustainable management of Bulawayo’s water services.
