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Freedom Mupanedemo Midlands Bureau
Kwekwe City Council has resolved to come up with a separate bulk prepaid water meter for Redcliff Town Council.
Redcliff has been receiving water supply from Kwekwe since the closure of steel giant Ziscosteel but has been struggling to service its bill with Kwekwe city.
Recently, Redcliff paid $10 000 towards its bill to kwekwe after water supplies were suspended over a debt which is said to have now ballooned to about $3 million.
In an interview, Kwekwe Mayor Angeline Kasipo said the local authority was growing impatient with its neighbour for failing to honour its water bill obligations.
She said it was then resolved during the last full council meeting that Redcliff Town Council should have its separate prepaid water bill.
“The challenge that Kwekwe city has had is that of buying water treatment chemicals and servicing water pumps. This has been the burden for Kwekwe despite the fact that we also supply Redcliff, which has not been servicing its bill with Kwekwe,” she said.
Mayor Kasipo said they have resolved to install a prepaid water meter for Redcliff so as to force them to pay.
“Since we are about to roll out prepaid water meters through out the city, we should also do the same to Redcliff who are failing to pay what they owe us. I think a bulk prepaid water meter for them will do. It will bill them separately and if they do not pay, then they do not get water. Its as simple as that,” she said.
Mayor Kasipo said she was disappointed that Redcliff had only paid $10 000 after some months of non-payment.
“I was briefed that Redcliff recently paid $10 000 which is not enough to buy even water chemicals. If we go the bulk water meter way, we would have solved the problem. We are saying we should help our neighbours with water but they should also play their part,” said Mayor Kasipo.
Online Reporter