The Lusaka Water and Sewerage Company (LWSC) has embarked on the evaluation of its clientele in a bid to identify areas of weakness in the billing system.
LWSC Managing Director George Ndongwe announced the move in an interview with ZANIS in Lusaka today.
Mr. Ndongwe said the exercise would enable the company trace the quantity of water being used by various clients.
He lamented that the firm is saddened that some consumers who are on fixed charge have taken advantage of the situation and erected other unauthorized structures such as cottages for renting out. This results in the consumption of more water for a lesser charge.
Mr. Ndongwe cited Kabwata Site and Service and some parts of Libala Township as having cottages and houses being shared by many tenants thus using more water than they are paying for through the fixed charge arrangement.
He pointed out that the water utility firm was losing a lot of money through such illegal arrangements hence the need for the company to evaluate the billing system.
He warned consumers that once the evaluation exercise has been carried out, those with additional building structures in their yards will be compelled to also pay for the extra structures.
Mr Ndongwe explained that the additional cottages or any other additional structure will be billed separately from the main house.
And some Kabwata Site and Service residents talked to by ZANIS welcomed the evaluation of the billing system.
Kalumba Mwaba, a landlord, said she was paying more even when she used less water because she was on fixed charge.
ZANIS
OKAY…
Well LWSC your DDACC system sucks and needs an overhaul….am personally UPSET that its become an inconvenience instead of a convenience because I always have to call LWSC to find out why money has not been deducted…..here we are trying to be good citizens in paying our bills but OH NO….you want people who will actually NOT PAY you at all….gosh!!!
weldone guys
I was in Lusaka, Kabwata Site & service itself from June to September last year. On no single day was there constant flow of water. You have stay till late night or wake up early in the morning to fetch and store your water supply. In the past people used to have grass( kapinga), flowers and gardens in their yards. But now the yards and streets are as dry as the kalahari deserts!! LWSC should first look into the erratic supply of water in Kabwata and Libala!!