The Sunday News
Sharon Chimenya, Masvingo Correspondent
MASVINGO City Council has decided to reduce water charges by 50 percent to more than 2 000 houses in the city whose water metres are not functioning.
Council has been using estimates to bill the affected houses but has decided to reduce the estimates by 50 percent considering that it has not been providing enough and consistent water to most areas in the city.
The council said 2 864 houses have been identified to benefit from the reprieve with Rujeko having 414 houses, Mucheke 314, Central Business District 782 and 1 354 from Chesvingo. City director of finance Ms Thandiwe Dube said due to the reduced water production levels at the water works, council resolved to reduce the estimated water consumption levels to those with malfunctioning metres.
The city has been struggling to provide adequate water since mid-December last year following a breakdown at Bushmead Waterworks, which reduced pumping capacity to 50 percent leading to the introduction of water rationing.
“Council has seen it fit to reduce estimated water consumption volumes by 50 percent to consumers with stuck meters. This is in response to reduced production levels at Bushmead Waterworks. Our plant has been operating at 50 percent capacity and this has informed the quantum of reduction to the affected residents. This reprieve will be scrapped when the plant treatment capacity returns to 100 percent.”
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Local Government and Public works has approved the Masvingo City Council budget that will see residents paying more than $2 000 per month on average for rates. The local authority had presented to Government a $4,1 billion budget with an annual inflation of 150 percent.
According to the budget, the major revenue sources will be rates, service charges, licences, rentals, land sales and external loans and grants, with major expenditures being general expenses, maintenance, employment costs and capital expenditure.
Speaking during the stakeholders’ feedback meeting held at the Civic Centre Hall on Wednesday last week, city Director of Finance Ms Dube said Minister Sharon Chimenya
Masvingo Correspondent
MASVINGO City Council has decided to reduce water charges by 50 percent to more than 2 000 houses in the city whose water metres are not functioning.
Council has been using estimates to bill the affected houses but has decided to reduce the estimates by 50 percent considering that it has not been providing enough and consistent water to most areas in the city.
The council said 2 864 houses have been identified to benefit from the reprieve with Rujeko having 414 houses, Mucheke 314, Central Business District 782 and 1 354 from Chesvingo. City director of finance Ms Thandiwe Dube said due to the reduced water production levels at the water works, council resolved to reduce the estimated water consumption levels to those with malfunctioning metres.
The city has been struggling to provide adequate water since mid-December last year following a breakdown at Bushmead Waterworks, which reduced pumping capacity to 50 percent leading to the introduction of water rationing.
“Council has seen it fit to reduce estimated water consumption volumes by 50 percent to consumers with stuck meters. This is in response to reduced production levels at Bushmead Waterworks. Our plant has been operating at 50 percent capacity and this has informed the quantum of reduction to the affected residents. This reprieve will be scrapped when the plant treatment capacity returns to 100 percent.”
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Local Government and Public works has approved the Masvingo City Council budget that will see residents paying more than $2 000 per month on average for rates. The local authority had presented to Government a $4,1 billion budget with an annual inflation of 150 percent.
According to the budget, the major revenue sources will be rates, service charges, licences, rentals, land sales and external loans and grants, with major expenditures being general expenses, maintenance, employment costs and capital expenditure.
Speaking during the stakeholders’ feedback meeting held at the Civic Centre Hall on Wednesday last week, city Director of Finance Ms Dube said Minister July Moyo had approved the budget for the city.
“The honourable Minister of Local Government and Public Works has approved the city’s 2021 budget. If you recall, we had proposed quarterly reviews in the event that there are significant changes in the economy. The Honourable Minister has directed that we only apply the increase as per the first quarter with the hope that the economy will be stable in 2021,” she said.
The minimum charges for rates in the high density areas will be $540 for water, $720 for sewerage, $712,80 for refuse, fire and emergency response levy is at $90, public lighting is at $90, supplementary charges are at $270 and value added tax (vat) was put at $207,76, making a total of $2 630,56.
For commercial areas, the bill will be around $8 000, with $2 268 going to water, $2 160 for sewerage, $2 808 for refuse and $90 for fire, among other charges. Residents in low density suburbs will be paying a minimum of $540 for water, $720 for sewerage, $712,80 for refuse, fire and emergency response levy ($90), public lighting ($90) and value added tax (vat) of $207,76, bringing the bill to a total of $2 360,56.
Rates will, however, vary per property on commercial and zone for low density areas and ranges from $900 to $3 000 as determined by area size. had approved the budget for the city.
“The honourable Minister of Local Government and Public Works has approved the city’s 2021 budget. If you recall, we had proposed quarterly reviews in the event that there are significant changes in the economy. The Honourable Minister has directed that we only apply the increase as per the first quarter with the hope that the economy will be stable in 2021,” she said.
The minimum charges for rates in the high density areas will be $540 for water, $720 for sewerage, $712,80 for refuse, fire and emergency response levy is at $90, public lighting is at $90, supplementary charges are at $270 and value added tax (vat) was put at $207,76, making a total of $2 630,56.
For commercial areas, the bill will be around $8 000, with $2 268 going to water, $2 160 for sewerage, $2 808 for refuse and $90 for fire, among other charges. Residents in low density suburbs will be paying a minimum of $540 for water, $720 for sewerage, $712,80 for refuse, fire and emergency response levy ($90), public lighting ($90) and value added tax (vat) of $207,76, bringing the bill to a total of $2 360,56.
Rates will, however, vary per property on commercial and zone for low density areas and ranges from $900 to $3 000 as determined by area size.
