Shurugwi rolls out prepaid water meters

Lovemore Zigara Midlands Correspondent
SHURUGWI Town Council has started rolling out prepaid water meters despite stiff resistance from residents. Council chairman Tsungai Makore said by January next year some households as well as business premises would have the gadgets installed on their premises. “We’ve already gone through the tendering process. I’m happy to say the contractor is someone who has done work for big cities such as Johannesburg in South Africa.

“We’re expecting work to start immediately with the rollout of 2,000 water meters. By January next year some of the households will have prepaid water meters,” he said. Makore said the contractor would finance the installation of some of the prepaid water meters.

He said the contractor would recoup the funds through revenue generated from bill payments while some financial institutions will also inject funds for the exercise. The Unki Mine Housing Project at Impali Source Farm where about 200 houses are set to be commissioned this month already has prepaid water meters.

The first phase will end in the first quarter of next year with 5,400 premises expected to have the meters. With the water meters, the local authority expects revenue from water bills rising almost sevenfold to $162,000 from $25,000.

“During this period we will also factor in the outstanding debts because smart meters can be used as debt recovery platform,” he said.

“The next phase will see us rolling the same number of smart meters which will see us double the revenue of the first phase and by the end of next year, all premises will have the same prepaid water meters.”

In August, council fired 40 workers on three months’ notice due to cash flow challenges, leaving council with 110 workers. Civil society groups have led a campaign against prepaid water meters countrywide, saying they are a violation of human rights.

They say people without money would be denied their basic right of access to clean water. The government has stated that despite the campaigns, local authorities should install the meters to get much needed revenue to keep afloat.