Residents from the sprawling high-density suburb last week said they were happy to have access to clean water after many years but were not ready to settle bills amounting to US$200 per household.
Some residents said their taps had been dry since 2003 and only started getting water again sometime last year after some non-governmental organisations intervened.
Action Contre Lafaim (Action Faim), an NGO last year embarked on a US$700 000 water and sewer rehabilitation project to ease the suburb’s problems, which exposed over 18 000 residents to cholera and other water related diseases.
“There was a time when sewage flowed freely in the streets of Gaza as council struggled with burst sewer pipes,” a resident, Abigail Kasuso said.
“This was happening when all the water we had to use to make the sugar and salt solution for emergency diarrhoea cases was from unprotected springs.
Back then, council sent us bills for a service not rendered.
“Today, donors have come to our rescue and council still demands large amounts of money saying we are in debt.”
But John Muranda, the council’s water superintendent said the debts were accrued when services were being rendered. “The reason why service deteriorated during those years is that council did not have money, partly because people were not paying their bills.”
- Chamisa under fire over US$120K donation
- Mavhunga puts DeMbare into Chibuku quarterfinals
- Pension funds bet on Cabora Bassa oilfields
- Councils defy govt fire tender directive
Keep Reading
Muranda said: “The donors have done us a big favour and to show our gratitude, we have to maintain this new system they have rehabilitated.
“But we can only do that as council if the people help us by settling their bills otherwise we may find ourselves in the same situation of water and sewer problems.”
Action Faim deputy program manager Jackson Mungoni urged council and the residents to find a solution to the outstanding bills.
