DARLINGTON MWENDABAI, Chipata
THE Eastern Water and Sewerage Company (EWSC) has temporarily halted the disconnection of water supply to hospitals, prisons and police stations for non-payment of bills.
Public institutions that include hospitals, prisons, police and Chipata Municipal Council among others owe the company K4 million while domestic customers are owing K4.1 million in paid water bills.
The provincial administration has intervened in the massive disconnections the company embarked on last week.
EWSC managing director Lytone Kanowa said in an interview in Chipata on Thursday “Through the office of the permanent secretary, they have been asked to hold a meeting with the concerned departments. For example, prisons owe us K999, 000 and police K951, 000 in unpaid water bills,” Mr Kanowa said.
Mr Kanowa said the company is concerned with unpaid water bills and wants to zero debt the K8.1 million so that all customers should be current with the bills.
He said customers who have unpaid bills for two months will be disconnected and that a few Government departments and domestic customers have started paying the debts.
Mr Kanowa said the company faces challenges in maintaining its pipelines due to lack of funds and that quality service will be attained if customers learn to pay their bills.
He said Government has directed that the company puts public institutions on prepaid metering but the exercise will cost four times more than the current fixed metering system.
Mr Kanowa said currently, some customers have been put on a prepaid metering system in a pilot project.