THE Zimbabwe National Water Authority (Zinwa) has disconnected water supplies to Beitbridge Town to induce payment for its bulk raw water supplies.
The amount owed was not immediately available although it is believed to run into millions of ZiG.
A notice signed by Beitbridge Town Clerk Loud Ramakgapola confirmed the disconnection which was effected on Monday this week.
“Municipality of Beitbridge would like to advise residents and stakeholders that Zinwa has cut water supplies for the entire town due to discrepancies in desired payments on bulk supplies by the water authority. Please note that the water supply interruption affects the whole town,” he said.
“At the moment, council has engaged Zinwa seeking better payment modalities.
“It is our intention to resolve the differences and resume water supplies in the soonest possible time.”
He also appealed to residents and stakeholders to pay water bills for the council to be able to remit to Zinwa the weekly minimum payment.
The council pays at least ZiG20 000 per week but Zinwa feels it is too small a fraction of what is owed.
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It is also understood that Zinwa has not been sending invoices to Beitbridge but dispatched a cumulative ZiG650 000 bill in April coupled with a notice to cut supplies.
Beitbridge’s water problems date back to 2013 when the Zanu PF government wrote off water debts for ratepayers in appreciation of a resounding election victory.
Meanwhile, officials at the busy Beitbridge Border Post yesterday said they would be relying on boreholes although there was no guarantee that supplies would last.
Beitbridge handles at least 16 000 travellers a day and more than 900 heavy vehicles each to and from South Africa.
