Rehoboth councillor demands prepaid water meter rollout

Rehoboth Town Council is stepping up efforts to roll out prepaid water meters to boost revenue collection and improve its ability to fund infrastructure and service delivery.

At a council meeting on Monday, councillor Justin Coetzee pushed for an update on the implementation of the meters, saying the initiative should be prioritised given its potential to improve municipal revenue collection.

"The installation of prepaid water meters must be taken seriously," Coetzee said. "Water, electricity and utility services are our main sources of income, and with that income we can execute projects and deliver services to the community."

Coetzee said stronger revenue collection would enable the council to prioritise infrastructure projects, including sewerage upgrades in areas where services remain inadequate.

He said funds from specific municipal votes could be channelled into capital projects once sufficient revenue had been accumulated.

He also called for an increase in the share of accounts paid, suggesting collection rates should rise to between 60% and 70%. This, he said, would allow the council to better assess available funding for development projects and determine when they could be implemented.

"If we know the amount we receive, we can determine whether a project can begin after three months or six months, based on the capital generated for that specific vote," Coetzee said. Improved revenue collection would also boost serviced land initiatives and provide affordable residential opportunities.

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