Councillor shares water-meter update
"In February this year, I engaged with residents about getting prepaid water meters by means of a petition that residents could sign online or in person."
Having noticed that there seems to be no action with regards to prepaid water meters being offered to residents in residential areas, Ward 71 councillor René Benjamin made inquiries about the matter.
According to Benjamin she was informed that the department had been implementing rollout in Soweto, Orange Farm and Cosmo City as identified and in line with the Water Demand Management Programme.
“The most frustrating issue for a resident is incorrect billing – how better if you can control the fluctuating expenses of water and electricity? So in February this year, I engaged with residents about getting prepaid water meters by means of a petition that residents could sign online or in person,” she said.
“The petition was sent to the department to make them aware that there is a growing interest among residents for prepaid water meters, as residents in our areas have not been given such an option.”
The petition was used to push the issue with the department and engage in the process of seriously considering the option for all residents.
After the department initially responded with ‘JW intends roll out prepaid meters throughout the city but in phases’, Benjamin further pursued the matter and was then furnished with the following response from the Joburg Water MD:
“Joburg Water has a prepayment metering policy in place which applies to deemed areas as well as bonded houses/ areas below the value of R700 000. The policy is targeted at areas/ settlements where payment for water service is poor,” the response read.
“Furthermore, Joburg Water is in the process of aligning the prepayment and conventional meters tariff structure, in order to facilitate the roll-out of prepaid meters in all areas in the future.”
The petition has thus achieved its objective to get the department to work on the process so that the structure for residents who so choose to apply for these services can be finalised, approved and implemented.
Benjamin thanked the residents who signed the petition. Because of them, there is now movement on this matter. As this progresses, further details will be provided.
