Chipinge introduces prepaid water metres

Luthando Mapepa
CHIPINGE Town Council is working on introducing prepaid water system in a move that will see the council generate revenue to meet high cost incurred in generating water to the town.The town council recently invited tenders to supply 2 000 smart water meters which will be installed in town area and leafy suburbs as well as some sections of Gaza high-density suburb.

Chipinge Town Council will become the first small town outside the big four cities to introduce prepaid water meters. The town chairperson, Councillor Lovemore Huni on Monday confirmed the developments and said the town council was still consulting all relevant stakeholders and would install the meters on a date yet to be announced.

Clr Huni dismissed claims that the move was profited oriented and said it was meant to improve service delivery to Chipinge residents.

He said the town was facing challenges in settling huge bills from ZESA which has since installed prepaid electricity meters on boreholes used to generate water from the source.

“The town council has already engaged contractors to supply us with meters to be installed in some sections of the town. We have already consulted on the issue and the consensus was that prepaid metres will be installed first in low and medium-density areas as well as the CBD.

“Residents should understand that prepaid water system is not profit oriented. We need to see the benefits that are there between residents and the local authority. Currently the council is meeting huge bills in settling ZESA bills which have already installed prepaid electricity meters on boreholes.

“Residents should not panic and the council is doing this in good faith and it will do it in a transparent way,” said Clr Huni. Clr Huni also warned residents to settle their arrears as the council will soon take necessary measures to recover its money owed by defaulters.

“Defaulters are increasing and the town council is urging all residents to settle their arrears or come up with payments plan.

The town council will not deliver services without money and therefore we are asking for maximum cooperation from residents,” he said.

Addressing delegates who attended the Water and Sanitation Service level Benchmark launch in Mutare recently, Minister of Environment, Water and Climate, Cde Saviour Kasukuwere, said prepaid water system was the way to go and would ensure that all residents pay for services rendered.

Meanwhile, the Chipinge Town Council has secure $55 000 from ZINARA for roads rehabilitation.