Online Reporter
Diana Nherera
Herald Reporter
THE City of Harare is encouraging residents to cooperate with teams working across the city to install prepaid water meters and carry out pipe water replacements.
In an interview, the City of Harare’s acting principal communications officer, Mercy Makuvatsine, said the prepaid water meters were a noble initiative, particularly because many residents were unhappy with the city’s previous estimates before the introduction of the prepaid meters.
“So let’s work together, let’s cooperate with the teams coming into our homes as they install the prepaid water meters,” she said.
Responding to residents at a Ward 23 stakeholder engagement meeting held at the Waterfalls District Office on Thursday, Makuvatsine said the project by Helcraw Water was a major undertaking that included repairs at Morton Jaffray Waterworks and a programme for replacing water pipes.
“The water pipe replacement programme has not yet reached Ward 23, but has started in Glen View and Budiriro,” she said.
Makuvatsine added that areas such as Borrowdale had begun receiving water because the old pipes had previously been blocking the flow.
“So we are replacing the old pipes, and then water will be able to reach different parts of the city,” she said.
Makuvatsine said that after prepaid meters have been installed, existing City of Harare accounts will still be billed to residents for items such as property tax and other rates.
“After the project has been completed, there are plans to have all the rates owed to the city deducted when one pays for water on the prepaid water meter. But for now, the rates billed on the statement are supposed to be settled at the council offices,” she said.
