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Vusumuzi Dube, Municipal Reporter
RESIDENTS of Cowdray Park Hlalani Kuhle in Bulawayo are reportedly resisting connecting water to their houses despite the local authority ensuring that 99 percent of the suburb has water reticulation.
Investigations by Sunday News revealed that residents in the suburb prefer to use communal taps which are for free and are resisting connecting water to their houses in a bid to avoid paying bills.
Residents interviewed claimed that the $128 which the council required to connect their houses to the main pipes was too steep, vowing they would not pay it unless the local authority gives them a reasonable figure.
Responding to questions, the local authority’s spokesperson, Miss Bongiwe Ngwenya confirmed that some residents were not keen on connecting their houses but added that council was reducing free communal taps.
“The City of Bulawayo has since done water reticulation of approximately 12 000 stands which are ranging from segments three to 14. Water reticulation to Segment 15 is close to 99 percent completion covering just over 1 500 stands. Currently, council has installed 3 282 serial connections and the number of people with individual water connections is 432.
“The reduction of free water taps by council has seen recently an increase of applications for individual water connections. Residents have lamented that due to lack of employment they have not been able to raise enough funds for water connections,” said Miss Ngwenya.
She added that in a bid to come to the aid of the residents, council through the Bulawayo Water and Sewerage Services Improvement Project (BWSSIP), was going to do individual water connections for some of the residents.
“Council will be providing domestic water connections up to the meter on a first come first serve basis thereby reducing water connection costs for the consumer. Bulawayo City Council is also gradually working towards replacing free water communal taps with pre-paid communal water meters gradually as residents cross over to individual water connections,” she said.
In terms of connecting the suburb’s sewer reticulation, Miss Ngwenya said this was a gradual process noting that they had completed a few segments and were working on the other parts of the suburb through funding from the African Development Bank.
“Council has to date installed sewer reticulation in segments three, five and six. Sewer in segment five is now operational since it connects to an already existing sewer outfall. Segments three and six await construction of sewer outfall which is currently taking place. The African Development Bank through the BWSSIP is funding a 15-kilometre sewer outfall network to service the rest of Hlalani Kuhle area which are segments four to 15,” she said.
Cowdray Park Hlalani Kuhle has over the years given the local authority a headache as there was no sewer or water reticulation system in the suburb which led to residents opting to construct illegal Blair toilets within their housing stands so as to avoid open defecation.
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