Midlands Correspondent
Gweru City Council is pushing for a 60 percent increase in water, sewer and refuse collection tariffs under its proposed 2027 budget, a move that is likely to increase the financial burden on residents and ratepayers.
The local authority has embarked on a series of ward-based consultative meetings to seek residents’ input and endorsement of the proposed adjustments, which are part of a ZWG2,13 billion budget aimed at achieving a zero-deficit position.
Addressing a residents’ consultative meeting in Ward 1, Gweru Director of Housing Samson Sekenhamo and Accountant Proctor Chauke said most other tariffs would remain largely unchanged.
Under the proposed adjustments, fixed residential water charges will increase from US$5 in 2026 to US$8 in 2027.
Water consumption charges will also rise across all domestic consumption tiers, with the lowest tier increasing from US$0,51 to US$0,70 per cubic metre.
Higher consumption tiers and commercial water rates will similarly be adjusted upwards.
Fixed sewerage charges for high-density residential areas are also expected to increase from US$5 to US$8, while wastewater conveyance charges per cubic metre will go up.
Chauke outlined the budget’s financial outlook, citing rising operational costs and developments in the local and international economic environment as justification for the proposed 60 percent tariff adjustment.
“There have been a lot of changes in the local economy and geopolitical environment, such as the war involving Iran and Israel, which has affected us indirectly, including the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, resulting in an increase in fuel prices,’ Chauke said.
“The rise in fuel prices has an effect on other components of service delivery, as the cost of almost everything goes up. All these services require fuel. For instance, refuse collection vehicles need fuel, spare parts and tyres.”
Chauke also cited increases in the cost of water treatment chemicals and electricity tariffs at Gwenoro pumping station as factors contributing to the proposed adjustments.
He said the additional revenue would enable council to improve service delivery, particularly water supply, road rehabilitation, sewer reticulation and public lighting.
Gweru Town Clerk Livingstone Churu, who declined to take questions from residents, identified inadequate water production as the city’s biggest service delivery challenge.
He said the city was currently producing 67 megalitres of water per day against a demand of more than 120 megalitres.
Churu also raised concern over the growth of settlements on the outskirts of Gweru, saying they were demanding municipal services without contributing financially to council’s revenue base.
He said there was a need to incorporate the settlements into Gweru’s municipal boundaries to ensure residents paid for the services they were receiving.
Churu added that council was in the process of acquiring equipment to improve service delivery, with graders and refuse compactors among its priorities.
However, residents who attended the consultative meeting questioned council’s continued reliance on rates and tariffs as its major sources of revenue, arguing that the local authority should explore alternative income-generating initiatives to ease the burden on already struggling ratepayers.
Council reportedly derives more than 90 percent of its revenue from rates and tariffs, with the remainder coming from other sources.
Residents called for greater revenue diversification and more sustainable funding mechanisms to ensure that the cost of municipal services did not continue to fall disproportionately on households and businesses.
