Zinwa rolls out prepaid water meters in the Midlands

Midlands Bureau
IN a bid to promote efficient water management, the Zimbabwe National Water Authority (Zinwa) has embarked on a prepaid water meters’ rollout targeting local authorities, businesses and other public entities.
Zinwa head of corporate communications and marketing, Mrs Marjory Munyonga, announced the programme in a statement.
“The Zimbabwe National Water Authority has embarked on a bulk prepaid water metres roll out programme for local authorities, businesses, schools, Government departments, parastatals, mines and similar institutions in a development meant to bring convenience to these customer categories and to allow them greater control of their water consumption patterns,” she said.
Mrs Munyonga said only critical Government institutions such as hospitals and security establishments will remain on the post-paid metering system.
The move, she said, will help curb further growth of the debtors’ book, which stands at over ZWG460 million as of August 31. The pre-paid meter model means consumers will now be paying for their water in advance.
“As of August 31 local authorities accounted for over ZWG23 million in unpaid bills while Government ministries and departments were responsible for ZWG264 million,” said Mrs Munyonga.
“Businesses owed ZWG7 million with schools accounting for ZWG6 million and industry owing over ZWG4 million.”
She said the roll out of prepaid water meters to selected client categories was also in response to requests from some consumers to be placed on the prepaid system.
Mrs Munyonga said the water authority has already installed bulk prepaid water meters at the Beitbridge Municipality following its request to be migrated to the prepaid metering system.
“To date, Zinwa has installed over 31 000 prepaid water meters, largely for domestic clients in Nyanga, Mutoko, Chivhu, Mvurwi, Murambinda, Gokwe, Guruve, Filabusi, Karoi and Hwange. Prepaid water meters were rolled out following the successful piloting of the concept in Mvurwi and Chivhu since 2019.”
Mrs Munyonga said the authority has also put stop order facilities for irrigation farmers who owe the authority a total of over ZWG89 million.
“The stop order facilities allow the farmers to settle their water bills through their financiers when they sell their produce at the end of the season with no interests being levied during the season,” she said.