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Patrick Chitumba, Midlands Bureau Chief
GWERU City Council has issued 15 000 summons for outstanding water bills after only 899 households out of a possible 40 000 responded to the call to enter into payment plans with the local authourity.

The city is working towards issuing 40 000 summons to residents and companies by the end of January in a bid to recover $50 million for unpaid water.

Town Clerk, Ms Elizabeth Gwatipedza, said council had given residents and companies a November 30 deadline to enter into payment plans as a commitment to settle their bills.

She said it was disappointing that only 899 households had taken heed of the call by the local authority to make payment plans.

Ms Gwatipedza said they have resorted to legal action and before Christmas the first batch of 15 000 summons would have been issued.

She said 25 000 more will be issued before the end of January.

“Council is owed more than $50 million in unpaid water bills by residents and companies which it needs to recover to improve service delivery. However, a mere 899 properties or accounts are now on payment plans against the projected number of over 40 000 accounts that are in arrears. From this payment plan process we are going to raise $790 000,” she said.

Ms Gwatipedza said council was forced to take the legal route to recover its money from residents and companies.

“Once summons have been issued, it will become expensive for residents and companies as each process will require money. From issuing of the summons we can get a default judgment, then writ of execution and to stop those processes it will mean that the resident or account holder will have to incur some costs. So it is wise for residents to come forward and make payment plans instead of ignoring the whole process because we are not going to sit but work towards getting what is owed to council,” she said.

“If residents pay us the over $50 million, we can improve on service delivery overnight.”