Residents point out ‘incorrect’ BCC bills -The Southern Eye

The Bulawayo City Council (BCC) has been challenged to submit correct bills after residents flagged the council’s incorrect billing system that has resulted in some ratepayers receiving exorbitant water bills.

This comes after local authorities reportedly disconnected water supplies to more than 2,000 properties in the city.

BCC has also launched legal proceedings against 650 households to recover more than $4.5 million owed by residents and taxpayers.

However, residents have complained about huge water bills after local authorities imposed rolling water cuts to save the city from serious shortages.

One resident, Mthokozisi Sithole, told Southern Eye that most households have been overwhelmed by exorbitant municipal water bills.

“We want rates to be reduced because water bills are very high. We don’t understand why water bills reach such high figures and yet we don’t have water for long periods and in some cases two weeks,” Sithole said.

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Nqobile Bhebhe, also a resident, said most slums were not receiving water.

“They continue to disconnect the water supply to our homes. Sometimes we receive supplies twice a month and when the invoices arrive it is not understood where that figure would have come from,” he said.

Bulawayo Progressive Residents Association (BPRA) administration secretary Thembelani Dube has called on the local authority to improve its billing system to ensure accuracy.

“As BPRA, we always encourage residents to be responsible and pay their bills or pay whatever they have so that service delivery is not interrupted,” Dube said.

“Bulawayo City Council should timely send correctly billed statements to residents to instil confidence in them to pay on time and improve revenue.”

The council has also been struggling to provide efficient services but continues to send out exorbitant bills which are being questioned by residents.

According to the city council’s latest report, the city council’s average monthly collection is 55%, hence its efforts to recover what is owed.

Since then, the council has disconnected 2,070 properties, the majority of which are in low-density suburbs and amount to 1,448 homes.

“It has been recognized that homes with more occupants tend to consume more water, resulting in high bills. Increased bills in low-density areas were often the result of inadvertent leaks in underground pipes,” the report reads.

“These leaks could go undetected for long periods, causing water waste and contributing to higher bills. To address this issue, policymakers should encourage residents in their respective districts to regularly read their water meters and keep records, especially during periods of water loss and at night. By doing so, residents could help identify abnormal billings and properties affected by leaks.”