Zimpapers Logo

Auxilia Katongomara, Chronicle Reporter
SENATORS have recommended the downward revision of water tariffs for both domestic and commercial users in areas under Rural District Councils.

The senators who are members of the Thematic Committee on Gender and Development, said this in their report on Access to Safe and Clean Water in Rural Areas compiled after embarking on a fact finding mission in rural areas across the country.

They said people living under RDCs were sometimes being charged for water that would not have been delivered to them.

“Water tariff structures, both for domestic and commercial consumers should be reviewed downwards by December, 2017,” read the report.

They said during their fact finding mission, they found out that in almost all the country’s districts, residents and institutions were struggling to comply with the Zimbabwe National Water Authority’s water tariffs structure.

“For domestic users – $7 fixed charge and 40 cents for the first 10 000 units. For commercial rates, it is $10 fixed charge and 96 cents per unit for the first 25 000 units. As a result, residents were failing to pay their water rates, with Gokwe North reporting a default rate of at least 50 percent,” read the report.

The senators said some ZINWA officials indicated that the tariffs that are being charged to water consumers are not commercial rates and cannot be used for capital investment but are meant for ZINWA to break even and carry out repairs and maintenance.

“ZINWA should only charge residents for water used and avoid fleecing residents of their hard – earned money by January 2018. Treasury should avail sufficient budgets targeting development of water infrastructure, ultimately working towards the reintroduction of PSIP by December, 2017,” read the recommendations.

“ZINWA officials revealed to the committee that residents are being prejudiced as they are required to continue paying fixed charges even during a period when water is not being delivered due to breakdowns.”

The senators said the country was still faced with enormous challenges in improving rural sanitation.

They recommended that there was a need to increase funding for WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene) projects by Government in rural districts, especially in resettlement areas where the majority of residents are still walking more than one kilometre to their nearest water sources, most of which are unprotected sources by 31 December, 2017.

“In that regard, RDCs should ensure that all households in villages have latrines and be certified open defecation free (ODF) by December, 2017,” read the report.

The committee suggested that there was a need to review the dual management of water systems in RDCs, harmonise and redefine the roles and responsibilities of RDCs and ZINWA in the provision of clean water to rural communities and at growth points before the end of the year.

“There is a need to shed off ZINWA roles in distributing water to residents at growth points, a duty that should be handed over to local RDCs by December, 2017. It is envisaged that this will greatly improve levels of payment compliance and revenue generation from rural communities,” read the report.

The committee said in all the districts visited the major challenges were inadequate funding for WASH programmes, lack of spare parts to repair boreholes and that in some districts, revenue collected from villagers is not enough to purchase the expensive spare parts.

Shortage of funds to drill boreholes, inadequate water testing kits and shortage of funds to acquire material to construct toilets in rural area were some of the challenges.

@AuxiliaK