The Chronicle
Midlands Bureau
GWERU City Council (GCC) has started rolling out pre-paid water metres in residential areas in a move that is aimed at improving revenue collection and ensuring accurate billing for water users.
City council’s spokesperson, Ms Vimbayi Chingwaramuse, said they have started with 100 pre-paid water meters in Ivene, Southview and Southdowns suburbs.
She said the test-run will run for two months in these three suburbs as they do not have challenges with water so the council can do a correct evaluation.
“We have started conducting a test-run for pre-paid water meters in Ivene, Southview and Southdowns. We are installing 100 pre-paid water meters in those areas. “The move is aimed at improving revenue collection and ensuring accurate billing for water users,” she said.
Ms Chingwaramuse said the local authority was excited with the pre-paid water meter project as residents and ratepayers will now be paying for the water they use on a monthly basis.
“These water meters are just for the pilot test from the supplier so they are not for sale. The selected 100 are not going to pay for the meters because it is for the test,” she said.
Ms Chingwaramusee said ratepayers have been complaining that the local authority is overcharging them on water bills.
“The decision to embark on the pre-paid water meters came as a result of input from residents and stakeholders during budget consultation meetings. If the test-run is successful, we will sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the supplier and then install the meters in the entire city,” she said.
Article Source: The Chronicle