Free water leaves N$90m void in City’s kitty
Residents urged to buy tokens
"Residents had access to 1 310 community taps during the past two years to get water," spokesperson Lydia Amutenya said, adding that the City noticed a massive increase in water usage since the water was offered for free.
The City of Windhoek spent N$90 million on water offered free of charge during the Covid-19 pandemic to residents living in informal settlements.
The City, which offered free water from March 2020 to help fight the virus, announced on 18 March that they are in the process of closing these taps and that residents will need to use their water tokens and buy water in future.
According to City spokesperson Lydia Amutenya, there are 35 502 registered token holders in Windhoek's informal settlements.
“Residents had access to 1 310 community taps during the past two years to get water,” she said.
When broken down, the cost of water used per household amounts to N$105 per month. However, the City noticed a massive increase in water usage since the water was offered for free.
“The consumption was 33 008.82 cubic meters per month, which more than doubled to 69 844.38 cubic meters per month during the pandemic.”
Some residents still filling up their containers and making use of the free water yesterday were not aware that the City is in the process of closing these taps.
Financial burden
One resident said she is thankful that the City offered free water during the pandemic, but that it will place a financial burden on her family once they have to pay for water.
She has to walk about a kilometre to her nearest water stand and fills her 20-litre container three times a week.
When asked if free water is the solution to better living conditions, Amutenya said that there are other factors influencing the issue.
“However, anything free will help those without a means of survival.”
She said, unfortunately, it is not sustainable to provide free water because someone must pay for the cost of the services from the bulk services provider, adding that consumed services must be paid for for sustainability.
According to a municipal notice, the free water supple has caused a financial burden to the council and thus it was resolved to reinstate the prepaid water system. Water tokens can be bought from municipal offices.
The City, which offered free water from March 2020 to help fight the virus, announced on 18 March that they are in the process of closing these taps and that residents will need to use their water tokens and buy water in future.
According to City spokesperson Lydia Amutenya, there are 35 502 registered token holders in Windhoek's informal settlements.
“Residents had access to 1 310 community taps during the past two years to get water,” she said.
When broken down, the cost of water used per household amounts to N$105 per month. However, the City noticed a massive increase in water usage since the water was offered for free.
“The consumption was 33 008.82 cubic meters per month, which more than doubled to 69 844.38 cubic meters per month during the pandemic.”
Some residents still filling up their containers and making use of the free water yesterday were not aware that the City is in the process of closing these taps.
Financial burden
One resident said she is thankful that the City offered free water during the pandemic, but that it will place a financial burden on her family once they have to pay for water.
She has to walk about a kilometre to her nearest water stand and fills her 20-litre container three times a week.
When asked if free water is the solution to better living conditions, Amutenya said that there are other factors influencing the issue.
“However, anything free will help those without a means of survival.”
She said, unfortunately, it is not sustainable to provide free water because someone must pay for the cost of the services from the bulk services provider, adding that consumed services must be paid for for sustainability.
According to a municipal notice, the free water supple has caused a financial burden to the council and thus it was resolved to reinstate the prepaid water system. Water tokens can be bought from municipal offices.
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