MASVINGO - Water Resources and Development minister Samuel Sipepa Nkomo has ordered local authorities in the country to immediately stop disconnecting residents failing to pay water bills.

Speaking during a meeting with Runde and Save catchments councils over the weekend, Nkomo said disconnecting water in local urban authorities was likely to cost government a lot of revenue as this would lead to outbreaks of diseases and loss of life.

“I want to make this clear to local authorities that they should not disconnect water to residents. Water is a vital commodity that is needed all the time for people to survive. If you disconnect them how are they going to use their toilets, bath … what are they supposed to drink,” Sipepa Nkomo said.

He said local authorities should come up with ways to ensure that all residents pay for their water as it was not a free commodity.

“Water is not a free commodity and everyone should pay but disconnecting it is not the effective way of forcing residents to pay.

So local authorities should come up with innovative ways to persuade residents to pay their bills, or take some defaulters to court than cutting them off,” he said.

He said water is a basic human right and disconnecting it was violation of human rights. He reiterated that disconnecting water was likely to cause more damage and financial cost to government as lack of the resource attracts dangerous diseases.

He said he was in agreement with his local government counterpart Ignatius Chombo over the issue.

Nkomo urged local authorities and residents in the country to conserve water as many dams and sources in the country had low levels, particularly in Masvingo Province due to poor rains.

Masvingo Province’s biggest source of water Lake Mutirikwi is currently at low levels of 17 percent capacity, raising fears that people could face serious water shortages before the next rain season.

Experts and engineers from government water agency Zinwa told Nkomo at the meeting that the province needed massive water rationing, particularly new sugar cane farmers who are failing to regulate themselves. - Godfrey Mtimba