Kabompo residents want pre-paid water metres

RESIDENTS in Kabompo have appealed to the North-Western Water Supply and Sewerage Company (NWWSSCO) to introduce prepaid water metres to avoid water bill overcharges to customers.

Kabompo District Stakeholders Association chairperson, Rodgers Chinyemba, called on NWWSSCO to consider installing prepaid meters instead of increasing water tariffs by 17 percent.

He said the proposed increase in water tariffs was not reasonable considering the current economic situation in the country.

"Currently, the economy is biting, and then you want to bring in the 17 percent increase. I don’t think it is fair considering that we don’t constantly get water supply," he said.

Mr Chinyemba said this at the week end during a stakeholders’ consultative meeting organized by NWWSSCO on the proposed 17 per cent water tariff adjustment.

Speaking at the same event, Daniel Chingimbu, a local resident, proposed for a 10 percent increase instead of 17 to allow more customers on board.

And a local businessman, Morgan Luvweyi echoed the same sentiments, stating that the company should work on connecting more people to piped water in order to increase their revenue base.

Earlier in his presentation, NWWSSCO Acting Public Relations Manager, Pearson Phiri, said the proposed 17 percent tariff increase was due to the high logistical cost being experienced in servicing the clients.

Mr Phiri said that the other reasons the company was proposing for an increase in tariffs was due to the depreciation of the kwacha.