Zinwa disconnects water to recover $400m debt

Elita Chikwati-Senior Reporter

The Zimbabwe National Water Authority (ZINWA) has embarked on a massive water disconnection exercise targeting defaulters who are cumulatively owing over $400 million.

Disconnections are targeting schools, parastatals, mines, churches and businesses whose accounts are in arrears as the authority moves to recover monies owed.

These institutions owe ZINWA a combined $400 680 033 in unpaid bills as at December 31, 2021; with some of the debts being outstanding for several months.

Zinwa corporate communications and marketing manager, Mrs Marjorie Munyonga, said the disconnections were part of the several efforts being made by ZINWA to recover over $2 billion owed by various clients who also include domestic users, local authorities and irrigators.

“Some of the endeavours that ZINWA is doing to recover the outstanding amounts include litigation and the engagement of owing consumers.

“This non-payment of water bills by these various clients has adversely affected ZINWA’s capability to fully and effectively execute its mandate as the revenue collected from water users is required for the procurement of key water resources management inputs such as water treatment chemicals, spares, fuel, electricity, the payment of suppliers and the honouring of statutory obligations such as taxes and levies,” she said.

Mrs Munyonga advised clients whose accounts are not up to date to settle their bills or to approach their respective service centres and present acceptable payment plans to avoid the inconveniences associated with the disconnection of water supplies.

“ZINWA reiterates that there always exists an inseparable relationship between payment for water and service delivery. When clients do not pay for the services they receive from ZINWA, it becomes extremely difficult for the authority to sustainably provide service,” she said.