Heavily Indebted Harare City To Increase Water Tariffs Every 3 Months
Harare Mayor, Cllr Hebert Gomba has said that the City Council has announced that it will be increasing water tariffs every three months as a way to recoup treatment costs.
Speaking this Monday, Gomba said:
The city water account is making losses and has accumulated $80 million in debt because that water charge is far less than the purification and distribution costs considering that Zesa increased its fees, and that water chemicals are imported. The council needs $45 million each month to buy water chemicals and other things to produce water for a month and all residents are able to pay is $25 million, thus the waste management account is in loss charging $6,50 yet fuel is $17 per litre.
FeedbackThese remarks were echoed by Town Clerk, Hosiah Chisango who said high water chemical costs, a huge deficit in foreign currency and soaring electricity tariffs were making it difficult for the subnational government to execute its duties and responsibilities.
The development comes when not so long ago the City fathers also raised water tariffs by at least 900% from $0,80 cents to $7 per cubic metre.
For long, Harare has been saying that residents are neglecting and or failing to pay their bills and the increase is doing less to help the situation particularly when workers are lamenting over the measly salaries they are being paid.
Meanwhile, residents who have been religiously paying their rates have argued that the council is punishing them for being good citizens.
More: Daily News
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