THE Zimbabwe National Water Authority (Zinwa) has cut water supplies to Beitbridge Town to press for payment of ZiG 2 711 362. 80 million in unpaid bulk water bills.
This is despite the parastatal and its sister government departments owing ZiG5 249,461 enough to settle the bill and remain financially stable.
Zinwa spokesperson Marjorie Manyonga confirmed the development describing it as a cost recovery exercise as the water authority incurs a lot of costs in purifying and pumping water to various stakeholders.
"Zinwa supplies bulk raw water to Beitbridge Municipality which the council in turn treats and supplies to residents. Zinwa pumps raw water from the Limpopo River into off-river storage dams which then supply the municipality’s water treatment plants.Zinwa thus incurs electricity as well as operations and maintenance costs to keep supplies to Beitbridge which costs should be covered by payments by the municipality. The raw water from Limpopo River is also supplemented releases from Zhovhe Dam which also have operation, repairs and maintenance costs," she said..
Zinwa on Monday cut off water supplies to the border town, plunging over 60 000 residents into a crisis. This came at a time council officials were negotiating payment terms with the water authority. The residents said the water authority should have considered Beitbridge’s strategic position as a border town and key driver of regional economic activities.
The parastatal bills the municipality an average of ZWG 550 000 for their monthly bulk raw water requirements and the local authority has been making monthly payments averaging ZWG 140 000 resulting in their outstanding bills accumulating to ZWG 2, 711, 362. 80 million.
Munyonga said the unsustainable payment pattern by Beitbridge Municipality made it difficult for Zinwa to continue consistent supply of raw water to Beitbridge, as well as pay for electricity, pump repairs and maintenance.
Beitbridge town clerk Loud Ramakgapola could not be reached for comment but sources at the local authority said Zinwa was among many government arms who owe the local authority.
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"Only the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority is up to date with its bills. Other departments have not paid in years and it is hard to think how they expect us to operate," said a council official who declined to be named.
The water cut has affected Beibridge Prisons, hospital, the border post two police residential camps and the charge office, any army camp, the new government village and more than 20 000 units in Dulivhadzimu high-density suburb apart from thousands other homes in the low-densioty areas.
Beitbridge Municipality last week disconnected hundreds of defaulters to induce payments.
