Notice of commencement of the post-paid water meters’ installation project.

1. All Residents/ Ratepayers and Stakeholders of Chegutu Municipality are advised that, following the passing of various Council resolutions (e.g. Resolution No. 5.5 of the 157th Environmental Management Committee Meeting and 5.4.2 of the 151st Finance and Administration Committee Meeting, among several others) on the need to expedite installation of water meters to ensure accurate billing of residents and also improve access to water by all residents, as well as improve performance of the water account, the project to install post-paid water meters is set to commence during the course of the week starting 02 July 2018. This follows the release of a loan from Government for the project as per allocation in the 2018 National Budget, and awarding of contract to the winning bidder (Consolidated Water Industries) on a fix and supply basis. The contractor will be paid directly by the Infrastructure Development Bank of Zimbabwe (IDBZ). To ensure maximum benefits from the project as expected by Government, Council has to expedite implementation of the project.
2. In that regard, suburbs already accessing consistent water supplies will be prioritized. Installation will be done starting with ZMDC (Ward 10), Heroes (Wards 7 & 6), Kaguvi Phase III-Forit & Cooperatives (Ward 12), Kaguvi Phase I & II (Ward 11), Rifle Range (Ward 2), CBD, Durawall and Industrial Area (Ward 1), in that sequence. Other suburbs would also subsequently benefit from the same project when water supply bottle-necks affecting such areas are rectified as already being pursued through the same funding and other internal resources. Tenders for repairs to the water distribution network, water reservoirs and water treatment plant have already been flighted. A total of 4,000 post-paid water metres has been targeted for installation in this first phase of implementation.
3. As already resolved by Council and as per Government position, the meters will be installed on cost-recovery basis, i.e. Council will spread payment for the meters by respective property owners over a reasonable period of time. Property owners will be expected to safeguard the meters as these will be their property. 
4. Personnel from the contracting company (Consolidated Water Industries) and some technical and identifiable Council employees will be moving from property to property bringing awareness to residents about the project during the course of the week ending 29 June 2018 and, subsequently start installing the meters during the week beginning 02 July 2018. 
5. Notably, advantages of installing the water metres include the following:(i)Proper accounting of water processed and distributed.(ii)Fair billing of actual consumption as opposed to estimates.(iii)Building of sufficient pressure to enable all areas to be reached by water supplied.(iv)Improved revenue inflows to purchase more service delivery equipment, expand and maintain network to new areas of residence, e.g. Kaguvi Phase IV, Riffle Range Extension, Hintonville, pay employees, etc.
6. In the circumstances, residents and ratepayers are kindly requested to cooperate with the project implementers (contractor and Council employees) to ensure success of this critical exercise in the development of Chegutu Municipality.