adminPatrick Chitumba Midlands Bureau Chief
Kwekwe has restored water supplies to Redcliff town after the two parties reached an agreement. This has averted a potential disease outbreak in Redcliff, which had gone a week without water over a ballooning $500,000 debt.
Redcliff mayor Councillor Freddy Kapuya yesterday told The Chronicle that the town had paid an “insignificant” amount towards settling the debt.
The small Midlands town, which has faced the same dilemma in the past, went for over a week without running water forcing residents to draw it from boreholes and unprotected sources.
Some residents were forced to use the bush as toilets following the clogging of toilets with human waste.
“I’m happy to say that city of Kwekwe has restored water supplies to Redcliff after we paid some amount. We’re very grateful for their gesture,” he said.
He said Redcliff residents and companies owed the town council about $4million.
“Kwekwe was justified in cutting water supplies because we have not been paying them their dues. Water isn’t for free and we can’t be found politicising the matter.
“We, however, thank the city of Kwekwe for restoring water supplies even when we paid an insignificant amount of money towards settling our bill,” said Clr Kapuya.
Clr Kapuya said the town has engaged debt collectors to force residents to settle their bills.
He said they could not afford to let the town collapse just because their main source of revenue, Ziscosteel had folded.
Redcliff buys water from the city of Kwekwe, which also purchases it from the Zimbabwe National Water Authority (Zinwa).
Clr Kapuya said the town is billed $150,000 per month by Kwekwe.
He said the town also pays Kwekwe $60,000 for pumps and $120, 000 for water treatment chemicals.
derick.khumalo