THE Zimbabwe National Water Authority (Zinwa) has cut off water supplies to some areas under Hwange Local Board (HLB), as the latter reportedly accrued a $1,9 million dollars debt in unpaid water bills.
Hwange residents from Phase 4 in Mpumalanga suburb have since gone for four days without water supplies.
Zinwa corporate communications manager Marjorie Manyonga confirmed the development to the Daily News yesterday.
“Zinwa has indeed disconnected Hwange Local Board over an unpaid bill of $1,9 million dollars. The disconnection has affected residents of Mpumalanga area’s Phase 4 who get their water supplies through the Hwange Local Board-owned bulk meter,” Manyonga said.
She said HLB had been in arrears since 2021, prompting the water authority to take action.
“The local board’s bill has been in arrears for a period of 120 days prompting the recent action by Zinwa principally to curb the further growth of the debt,” she said adding that the water authority and HLB were currently in talks over a payment plan.
“Zinwa and Hwange Local Board have been in conversation over the matter and the latter has indicated its intention to settle the bill so that water supplies can be restored,” she said.
“Zinwa continues to reiterate that there exists an intricate relationship between payment for water bills and sustainable service delivery. The Authority therefore appeals to all clients whose bills are in arrears to pay and avoid inconveniences associated with the non-payment of bills.”
HLB public relations officer Dumisani Nsingo told the Daily News yesterday that the council had held a consultative meeting with residents over the matter.
“The challenge we are facing is that the residents are not paying bills on time, which in turn forces us to delay payments. We are engaging the residents on the issue and as I speak we have a consultative meeting ongoing today (Wednesday), although I am not yet able to share anything on the meeting as it is still ongoing,” he said. By Andile Tshuma