Prisca Manyiwa-Masuku
MIRROR REPORTER

KWEKWE – Kwekwe City councillors have expressed concern that residents who are not getting piped water regularly are being billed the same amounts with households receiving normal water supply due to the estimation system being used.
The issue emerged at a full council meeting that took place at the Civic Center on Thursday.
The council heard that residents in areas where water is not being received are paying exorbitantly for a non-supplied commodity.
The complaint came from Councillor Makomborero Mlambo of Ward 8.
In response, Finance Committee chairperson Alex Senge of Ward 1 said council is rolling out a programme to all affected houses so that functional water metres are installed. The metres will ensure that the local authority will no longer use estimates in billing the houses.
“We have sent details of households that are being billed exorbitantly and yet they barely get water. Is it not possible that they can be billed differently because they are being treated equally with those who get water frequently?” asked Mlambo.
Senge called upon residents whose water meters are no longer functional to report to council for replacements.
“Last year we bought 400 water meters and we are ready to install 200 meters in Amaveni in areas where there is no water supply so that they can be billed accordingly.
“We ask those households that are not receiving water to come forward so that we install new meters. Where we run short of metres, the households can buy their own,” said Senge.
A Mbizo 15 resident identified as Mai Praise who is affected by the water shortages said, “Council is treating us unfairly because in Mbizo 15 sometimes we get piped water supply once or twice a week during the night only but at the end of the month our bills are similar to those who get water on daily basis. There is a house next door to where I stay no one has been staying at that house for over a year but on monthly basis a bill of 25 kiloliters of water is charged similar to other households, I raised this issue with the mayor because the house belongs to my relative but nothing yet has been done.”
Woman Councillor Dialis Muradzikwa said, “This issue needs to be addressed because water shortages affect women the most, we are the ones who conduct domestic chores and everything water so I think this issue needs to be solved urgently and again council should announce publicly whenever there is a challenge which affects water supply so that residents will be prepared.”
In addition, a Mbizo 10 resident Sarah Muzivingwa grumbled over water shortages versus the monthly water bills.
“We are facing a very difficult situation, the water we get and the bills being charged are two very different things and that needs to be addressed,” said Muzivingwa.