Close to R73m owed to municipality for water consumption

Mogale City Local Municipality (MCLM) has taken firm steps to improve water revenue collection by implementing a prepaid water meter conversion project targeting prepaid water users who have not been purchasing or paying for their water usage.

According to MCLM’s communications officer Refilwe Mahlangu, households and commercial properties that have had access to water even when they had not purchased water tokens, will have their prepaid water meters replaced with conventional meters.

“Once the meter is converted, consumers will be billed for their consumption monthly based on their respective meter reading which will help overcome water loss challenges that account for a substantial amount of revenue loss for the municipality,” Mahlangu said.

The municipality also confirmed in a statement that 64.90% of its water does not generate revenue and that close to R73m is owed by consumers for water consumed.

“The municipality encourages consumers who have not been paying or purchasing water to report their faulty prepaid meters by sending an email to watercomplaints@mogalecity.gov.za or visiting the offices located at President Building on President Street in the CBD. The conversion from prepaid to conventional will happen at no cost to customers.”