Bills soar while taps run dry

Your Money, Your Call

Cresencia Marjorie Chiremba

THERE is definitely something wrong with the Harare City Council’s water billing system.

Ratepayers have often been left puzzled after receiving shocking bills.

What is even more disturbing is the fact that the council, which is entrusted with providing essential services to the public, is clearly failing to fulfil its mandate yet still demanding rates.

Water supply is erratic or even non-existent in most households across the city.

What this essentially means is that residents now have to pay steep charges for services that are poor or non-existent.

As a concerned resident, I recently received a bill that defied logic — a staggering 46 000 litres (46 kilolitres) for a household of five adults — despite our minimal water usage.

All of the adults in our household are rarely at home due to work and other commitments.

We do not have a garden. We also do not engage in any water-intensive activities.

Similarly, we always make sure we never leave out taps running.

Now, imagine my shock when I opened the water bill to find that we had supposedly consumed a whopping 46 000 liters of water!

This loosely translates to us consuming at least 230 drums per month, each measuring 200 litres.

It is as if our taps were running nonstop.

I am certainly not alone in this predicament.

Many ratepayers have received similarly inflated bills.

Some have reported water usage that defies the laws of physics — more water consumed than their entire property could hold.

The frustration is palpable, and rightfully so.

When hardworking families are burdened with bills that do not align with reality, trust in the municipal system erodes, which naturally leads to defaults in rate payments.

It is now rare to come across municipal officials who move around suburbs gathering meter readings but monthly bills are still received.

Clearly, the council makes use of estimates, which has become the major source of challenges we face today.

Yes, estimates are necessary at times but they should be reasonable and based on historical data.

However, the current system seems to conjure up numbers out of thin air as evidenced by many queried bills.

Outdated or malfunctioning water meters are equally contributing to the chaos.

Some meters fail to record accurately, leading to discrepancies between actual usage and billed amounts.

It is time for a complete overhaul of the water billing system, particularly in Harare.

There is need to adopt modern digital metering systems that reflect real consumption.

Ratepayers deserve transparency and clear communication.

They need to understand how bills are calculated and what factors influence the charges.

The “mystery” currently surrounding the billing process breeds suspicion and fuels resentment.

My old meter was condemned last year and my experience with a new one is still adding another layer of complexity.

Despite me investing in an upgraded meter, the bills are still absurd.

This highlights the need for rigorous testing and calibration of all meters.

In all the confusion, I have been left to assume that perhaps my new meter is not functioning optimally, contributing to the skewed readings.

The council should invest in regular meter inspections.

We need to move away from estimations in favour of precise data.

Also, if a meter is faulty, it should be replaced promptly.

When an efficient billing system is put in place and there is constant water supply, residents will certainly not have qualms in settling their bills.

A family of five in a high-density suburb can honestly not be paying the same amount as those in a leafy suburb and with several water-consuming activities.

That said, we need an efficient appeals process to be created. A fair hearing can rectify errors and restore trust.

Disgruntled ratepayers should be able to contest bills without enduring rough bureaucratic hoops.

Cresencia Marjorie Chiremba is a marketing enthusiast with a strong passion for customer experience. For comments, suggestions and trainings, she can be reached at: [email protected] or at +263 712 979 461, 0719 978 335.