Online Reporter
Rutendo Nyeve, Victoria Falls Reporter
THE City of Victoria Falls has commenced the phased rollout of prepaid water meters, an initiative, which the local authority has described as a game-changer designed to foster water conservation, streamline revenue collection and ultimately unlock enhanced service delivery for residents.
The pilot phase of the project, which has seen 50 metres installed across various suburbs and business areas, is under close monitoring by the city’s technical team.
The move, however, has been met with mixed feelings, with cautious optimism in some quarters and palpable scepticism in others.
Victoria Falls Town Clerk, Mr Ronnie Dube, in a detailed response to Sunday News, outlined the scope and initial progress of the project.
He clarified that the pilot phase targeted 10 properties per area, specifically 10 in the low density, 10 medium density, 10 high density, 10 industrial and 10 commercial properties.
To date, all 50 pilot meters have been installed. According to Mr Dube, the initial public response has been largely positive.
“Residents and stakeholders are generally excited about the development. The response was overwhelming and many are still enquiring. There has been no notable resistance at all,” he said.
This sentiment, however, is not universal. While many residents in low-density suburbs have welcomed the move as a step towards modernisation and personal consumption management, a cloud of scepticism hangs over the high-density suburbs of Chinotimba and Mkhosana.
Some residents, who spoke to this news crew, expressed concerns about the affordability of upfront payments and the potential discomfort of a system that could disconnect an essential service.
“The idea is good for saving water, but what happens when I do not have money at the end of the month? Water is life. With the old system, we could sometimes plead with the council, but a meter does not listen,” said one Mkhosana resident, who identified herself as Mai Taurai.
Council highlighted the dual financial benefit of the system.
Mr Dube explained the mechanism for handling existing customer arrears, a significant challenge for many municipalities.
“70 percent of purchase is allocated to current water consumption, in cases where there is an outstanding debt, 20 percent goes towards clearing the debt
“There is no debt write-off, instead water users will have part of the money channelled towards settling arrears,” he said.
On measurable benefits, the Town Clerk noted it was still early days, with the pilot phase still under evaluation.
He, however, underscored the anticipated long-term advantages.
“Generally pre-paid water meters will encourage ratepayers to conserve water as they will be self-monitoring usage,” he said.
The ultimate goal, as stated by the council, is to improve service delivery through improved revenue streams.
“Every project or programme by the city is targeted at enhancing service delivery efficiency. Availability of funds will help council to maintain or improve infrastructure,” he said.
Turning to the timeline for a full citywide rollout and provisions for vulnerable community members, the council indicated that future steps would be guided by results of the pilot phase
“The pre-paid system does not discriminate or disadvantage anyone. Instead, it encourages wise use of water and helps users to save,” he said.
Regarding emergency water credit for those in hardship, the council assured residents.
“Council’s primary role is service delivery. Ratepayers must pay for services, for council to provide services efficiently,” he said.
As the pilot project continues, the City of Victoria Falls remains optimistic that the data will validate the system’s efficacy, paving the way for a transformation in how water is consumed, paid for and managed in the tourism capital.
The success of this initiative now hinges on balancing technological efficiency with addressing the genuine socio-economic concerns of all its residents.
