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Blessings Chidakwa
Municipal Reporter
Harare City Council has issued a two-week ultimatum to all residents with illegal water connections and stolen meters to regularise their connections or risk being penalised.
Council has been battling illegal water connections for more than two decades and appears to have recorded little success.
It has emerged that people with illegal water connections include council employees and this has cost the municipality millions of dollars.
“It was noted that the illegal activities are also taking place in many areas and a mass action to identify all illegal water connections is being carried out by the audit, Harare municipal police and treasury departments,” said council, which on Wednesday issued notice for people to regularise water connections.
“Council notifies all residents accessing council water illegally and or have non-functional or stolen water meters to urgently regularise their connections on or before July 6, 2021 at Old Mutual House corner Speke and Sam Nujoma streets.
“The exercise is part of our thrust to reduce non-revenue water. Failure to regularise before the stipulated date will attract penalties. Sanctions may include prosecution and or permanent removal of their connections.”
The city has over the years been failing to account for 65 percent of its treated water.
Harare City Council also advised that households and business premises with non-functional water meters could enter into a special arrangement with council for replacement of their water meters.
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