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Chipinge tenders for smart water meters

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CHIPINGE Town Council has become the first small urban area outside the big four cities to tender for the controversial “smart pre-paid water meters”.

CHIPINGE Town Council has become the first small urban area outside the big four cities to tender for the controversial “smart pre-paid water meters” which have been condemned by residents’ associations and pro-poor civil society groups as anti-poor gadgets.

by PAIDAMOYO MUZULU

The introduction of prepaid water meters was facing resistance in Harare, Bulawayo, Gweru and Mutare where residents have held demonstrations against city authorities.

The residents demanded that there should be thorough consultations on how the system works and how the poor would be protected from this profit-driven model.

Chipinge this week invited tenders for the supply of 2 000 smart water meters.

“The Chipinge Town Council is inviting tenders from reputable suppliers who can supply and install smart pre-paid meters,” the tender notice read.

The town was seeking specifically the Baylan type of meter. The council added: “There shall be a compulsory site visit of the areas to be installed with the prepaid meters on the 8th of April 2015 from 10:00 hours at Chipinge Town Council offices.”

Harare mayor Bernard Manyenyeni yesterday said the city was still consulting on the issue and would only install the meters after reaching a consensus with residents.

“There are no prepaid meters that will be installed until this process has been completed and when all the pros and cons have been viewed,” he said.

Power utility Zesa installed thousands of prepaid electricity meters for domestic consumers last year, but supplies have remained erratic despite having been paid for in advance.