Residents receive shocking water bills

SCORES of Bulawayo residents have received shocking April water bills that are up to twice their average annual bills.

Angry residents, who are becoming increasingly frustrated with the Bulawayo City Council's billing system, were queuing at the revenue hall last week, seeking an explanation.

In separate interviews, residents said that council officials simply told them the amount on the bills was correct and that they had to go home and take their meter readings.

A teacher at a local school, who declined to be named, said the bill she received was scandalous.

"Look here, my bills for the four months before April show that I was being charged about $10 every month. As you can see, I had a balance brought forward of a negative $2 at the beginning of April, then suddenly a scandalous figure of $296,46 is billed," said the teacher.

She said she lived with her two children in Nketa suburb and she had not had a gathering of people at her home or visitors, who could have used water to warrant the huge bill.

"I have just been queueing for more than an hour to get an explanation. Instead of explaining, the official was curtly telling everyone that there was no error in the bill. Even if I wanted to, I cannot afford to pay this shocking bill. The fact that so many of us are complaining, should show council that something is wrong," said the emotional woman.

Another resident, who went to the Revenue Hall on Thursday to get an explanation, accused council of fund-raising to pay salaries.

"My bill often averages about $30. In April, council charged me $480 for water. I do not think even a construction company pays that much in a month. These people are just fund-raising to pay salaries. They could not even explain what was going on. I am very angry and I will not pay. We will meet in court," said Mr Norman Moyo of Waterford.

Dissatisfied residents said council had to open its lines of communication to update residents on developments that affected their bills.

"It is possible that they have raised tariffs. In that case, they should have informed us. Why is it that council always makes unilateral decisions that affect us, and then only explain after we complain? They seem to enjoy seeing us flooding their offices. They are a bunch of highly unprofessional people," said Mrs Ruth Ngwenya of North End.

A comment could not be obtained from council's senior public relations officer, Mrs Nesisa Mpofu.

She had not responded to questions that were sent to her on Wednesday, by the time of going to Press.

The local authority is on a massive water disconnection exercise over unpaid bills.

A total of 14 504 households and properties were disconnected last month.

Council is trying to recover about $62 million from residents and property owners in the city.

Last month, residents thronged the Revenue Hall to protest over being billed twice for the month of May.

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