HARARE City Council has hiked water charges by an average
of 17% while clamping, towing and storage charges have been increased by 100%
for 2019, further heaping more levies on the overtaxed ratepayers.
Harare yesterday presented a $472 million budget, with $125
million targeting capital projects while $346 million was meant for recurrent
expenditure.
The budget statement presented by finance committee
chairperson, councillor Luckson Mukunguma for approval, targets to raise
revenue amounting to $346 266 700 and spend $346 231 200, leaving a surplus of
$35 500.
However, residents should brace for a 19% increase in water
bills as the city seeks to deal with high costs of water treatment chemicals
and machinery spare parts.
“Your worship, the justification for water tariffs
increases has been a drastic increase in cost of inputs namely chemicals, cost
of repairs and maintenance, capital charges on borrowed funds for capital works
and other operational expenses,” said Mukunguma.
For residents in high-density areas, who are facing
perennial water cuts, Mukunguma proposed an increase from 70 cents to 83 cents
for 1 to 10 cubic meters of consumed water and 80 cents to 93 cents for 11 to
20. Those in the low-density areas will be charged 95 cents for 1-10 cubic
meters of water pumped up from 80 cents and $1,30 for 11 to 20 cubic meters up
from $1,20. For anything above 20 cubic meters, the low-density residents will
have to pay $1,50.
Bulk water supply has been increased from 70 cents to 83
cents and industrial areas will be charged $1,43 for 100 cubic meters up from
$1,20 and anything above 100 cubic meters will be charged $1,70 up from $1,50.
Harare water woes are set to continue as council, which has
been battling to provide potable water to residents and has been pumping 420
mega litres per day against a demand of 1 200 mega litres, will increase
capacity by 100 mega litres by year end. Harare has set aside $51 million in
the 2019 capital budget for water, sanitation and hygiene programmes.
The city also increased sewerage fees for both low and
high-density areas by $1. Those in high-density areas will now pay $5 from $4
per fitment and those in low-density areas will next year pay $10 up from $9
per fitment.
In a bid to deal with the traffic crisis, council has
proposed to increase clamping, tow away and storage charges by 100%.
According to Mukunguma, the 2019 budget will run under the
theme: “Transformative budget; towards a smart city” and its capital projects
will be financed by loans and internal revenue.
In the 2018 budget, council between January and September
collected $145 million with salaries getting the larger part of $83 million
while service delivery got $62 million.
“Your worship, salaries and allowances are within
projections. However, general expenses which posted a huge positive variance of
$60 million from the budgeted $99 million are a cause for concern as this
impact negatively on service delivery. Constrained revenue inflows are a major
impediment,” Mukunguma said.
Council budgeted $8 million for roads and $14 million for
public safety and security services. Newsday
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