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RESIDENTS in major towns and cities seem to be fighting a losing battle against local authorities in as far as the installation of pre-paid water meters is concerned. Bulawayo residents, led by civic society organisations were recently joined by residents associations from cities like Masvingo, Kadoma and Chitungwiza, in staging a march against the council’s resolution to install pre-paid water meters in households and business premises.
But before blisters on the feet of those who were part of the march even healed, Bulawayo mayor, Councillor Martin Moyo said he was set to travel to Gwanda to see how they had implemented the exercise. Reports during the week indicated that a pilot project had been launched in Gwanda.
In Harare, it was also reported that councillors and senior managers had committed to having prepaid water meters installed at their properties as part of the city’s pilot programme.
Harare had said an initial 2 000 pre-paid water meters will be installed in the Avenues, city centre, industrial areas and selected suburbs on a pilot basis ahead of the March 2016 city wide rollout, but there has been resistance from residents.
In Bulawayo, the idea is to install about 1 500 pre-paid meters in Cowdray Park as a pilot project, which the mayor, Clr Moyo, said would go ahead despite protests from residents.
Over 2 000 people took to the streets of Bulawayo to call on city fathers to revise their 2013 plan to have residents shifting from a fixed water billing system to prepaid water meters. Residents say the move will make water a commodity that will be beyond the reach of many impoverished residents.
Abameli Human Rights Lawyers representative Tineyi Mukwevo told protestors that the installation of prepaid water meters would be tantamount to gross human rights violations and as such they were opposed to the council’s proposal.
“We stand for human rights and we are against the council’s move to install pre-paid water meters and if they go against us and install those meters, we will meet them in court,” said Mukwevo.
The use of pre-paid water meters will do away with billing and accumulated water bills as residents will only pay for the water they use. Residents can also pay as and when they access cash and councils believe prepaid water meters will usher in a sense of responsibility as residents will use water sparingly resulting in excess water distributed to other areas.
On the other hand, the move will benefit councils in as far as revenue collection is concerned, as virtually all councils in the country are struggling to collect rates.
Nonetheless, we can say this, just like the sun will rise tomorrow, that residents are fighting a losing battle as councils are being pushed by the need to collect as much revenue as possible, and the pilot projects that are being touted across the country will soon lead to actual connections being done in most parts of the country.
It is now a matter of “when” the pre-paid meter regime will come into force.
It is also prudent to point out that while water is a necessity, residents also have a contractual obligation to pay for the water that they consume, and it will be illogical for them to expect councils to function without getting money for the water that is consumed by rate payers.
However, we believe the way forward is for local authorities to engage residents even at Ward level, so that they educate them on how the new system will work, the advantages and disadvantages that will arise from the new set up.
There is need for local authorities to avoid a confrontational approach and seek to win over residents, so as to avoid cases of unruly elements resorting to vandalising water pipes so as to access treated water without paying for it.
The use of pre-paid meters is new in Zimbabwe, but has been introduced in other countries like South Africa, with residents in Soweto using pre-paid meters, although they get an allocation of free water for a “start”. It is also believed that when the new regime starts in the country, there will be a free allocation to residents, just to meet the “bare minimums” of home use. It is also meant to avoid diseases caused by lack of clean water or no water at all.
derick.khumalo