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Michael Magoronga, Midlands Correspondent
Cash-strapped Redcliff Municipality has handed over the management of water to Kwekwe City Council.

This comes as Kwekwe, which supplies water to Redcliff, is seeking to recover a $90 million water debt owed by the smaller town.

The new arrangement will see Kwekwe billing and collecting monies paid for water by Redcliff residents.
Previously, Redcliff would collected payments from its residents before remitting to Kwekwe.

Redcliff, however, had been failing to remit, leading Kwekwe to cut water supplies due to the ballooning debt.
Redcliff Mayor Councillor Clayton Masiyatsva said the latest arrangement will ensure continuous water supply from Kwekwe.

“We have resolved that we hand over water management to Kwekwe city including the arrears. The decision was arrived at after a robust consultation with residents and stakeholders as well as our parent ministry. We also want to have continuous supply of water from Kwekwe and those who will not be paying will have their choices but water will be available all the time,” he said.

Redcliff authorities are on record saying their residents are reluctant to pay their water bills hence the ballooning bill.

“We have people who are up to date in paying their water bills but are being disadvantaged by those who do not pay.

At the end of the day, Kwekwe disconnects Redcliff as a whole not individuals. The arrangement will see Kwekwe disconnecting those who are not paying and I think this will go a long way in ensuring that everyone pays,” said Clr Masiyatsva.

He said Government will facilitate the handover/takeover process.

Redcliff is still in search for partnerships to solve its perennial water challenges that have reduced the once lavish town into a virtually rural community with residents relying largely on boreholes and other unsafe water sources.

“In the meanwhile, we will continue looking for a partner for a long-term solution as we want to establish a water treatment plant. We would then get raw water from Kwekwe which we will treat before distributing to residents,” he said.

Speaking during a recent full council meeting, Kwekwe city treasurer Mrs Rejoice Dandira said despite having designed a payment plan of $1 million dollars per month, Redcliff was not owning up.

“They recently paid something but it is insignificant given the continuous rise in inflation and prices of water treatment chemicals. We will continue engaging them and see how best we can handle the situation,” said Mrs Dandira.