Rundu considers prepaid water meters
The introduction of prepaid water metering will allow consumers to be in control of their own water usage and budgets.
RUNDU – The Rundu Town Council is considering the introduction of prepaid water meters to help with revenue collection.
The Namibia Water Corporation (NamWater) placed Rundu on a prepaid credit system and removed it from the conventional water supply system for more effective revenue collection after the town accrued debt of close to N$60 million.
The town council’s acting chief executive officer, Sikongo Haihambo, said the debt remains N$60 million, but there are continuous discussions between the two entities on the issue.
He explained that with the introduction of prepaid water metering, consumers will be in control of their own water usage as they will then decide how much water to purchase and will have to budget for their water bills.
Written off
“I have engaged the management of NamWater on the water issue and Rundu remains a priority area to them because of the impact the water supply situation has on its 90 000 residents,” he said.
Asked whether there is a possibility of the debt being written off, Haihambo said the water utility has its own challenges including ageing infrastructure, some of which was built 40 to 50 years ago, as well as other responsibilities.
“There is a water reservoir here and they need to build a water purification plant. But when you talk about such a plant you talk about half a billion dollars,” he said.
The canal that goes to Calueque, he added, requires constant maintenance and repairs and NamWater also has to expand water provision facilities in other towns.
Haihambo was also of the opinion that other towns with similar problems might have a problem with Rundu’s debt being written off. - Nampa
The Namibia Water Corporation (NamWater) placed Rundu on a prepaid credit system and removed it from the conventional water supply system for more effective revenue collection after the town accrued debt of close to N$60 million.
The town council’s acting chief executive officer, Sikongo Haihambo, said the debt remains N$60 million, but there are continuous discussions between the two entities on the issue.
He explained that with the introduction of prepaid water metering, consumers will be in control of their own water usage as they will then decide how much water to purchase and will have to budget for their water bills.
Written off
“I have engaged the management of NamWater on the water issue and Rundu remains a priority area to them because of the impact the water supply situation has on its 90 000 residents,” he said.
Asked whether there is a possibility of the debt being written off, Haihambo said the water utility has its own challenges including ageing infrastructure, some of which was built 40 to 50 years ago, as well as other responsibilities.
“There is a water reservoir here and they need to build a water purification plant. But when you talk about such a plant you talk about half a billion dollars,” he said.
The canal that goes to Calueque, he added, requires constant maintenance and repairs and NamWater also has to expand water provision facilities in other towns.
Haihambo was also of the opinion that other towns with similar problems might have a problem with Rundu’s debt being written off. - Nampa
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