Chronicle Editor
Vusumuzi Dube, Senior Municipal Reporter
THE Bulawayo City Council has started the process of employing water meter readers after recent revelations that the local authority has been estimating water bills owing to an acute shortage of meter reading personnel.
A couple of weeks ago it was reported that the entire billing cycle for January was based on estimates, with the local authority blaming this on staff limitations and the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.
“The whole billing cycle for the month of January 2021 was based on estimated readings. This is due to the staff limitations, staff on leave and the Covid-19 pandemic impact. Eight-meter readers were available to read the whole city which has over 131 000 meters. This is against an establishment of 33-meter readers.
“The estimation of bills coupled with the impact of water shedding will result in increased queries from consumers. This will also result in massive adjustments once the meters are read. An increase in adjustments will also affect the integrity of council’s final accounts,” reads a council report.
In the latest revelations, the local authority flighted an advertisement in the local media where it revealed that it is seeking to employ 24-meter readers on contract basis.
According to the advertisement, the potential applicants should have five Ordinary level passes including English and Maths or Accounts, and they should be; “physically fit to walk around the city.”
“Main responsibilities are that they will read and capture water meter readings, record meters status and send readings via the internet into the AS400 system,” reads part of the advertisement.
Blessing Chizhande
Online Reporter