Gov�t cancels standard water charge
Pini Bothoko | Wednesday March 22, 2017 15:10
Maele stated that the cancellation follows endless complaints from members of the public over high water charges.
“We have taken into consideration your complaints over high water charges, hence this decision to stop the standard water charge beginning of next month,” Maele said.
He stated that the standard charge has been a worry to most of Batswana. “We were aware that even if you had spent the whole month at the cattle post, you were forced to pay the P20 water standard charge, something that you were not happy with,” Maele said.
Maele advised them to ensure that their water pipes were not leaking because they will be charged for that despite not having opened their taps.
He further pleaded with members of the public to use water properly so that the current water at Gaborone Dam could last longer.
“The good news is that most of our dams in Botswana are all full, but despite this we should use water properly. For the first time in 16 years Gaborone Dam is full.
This is a welcome thing, but I should emphasise more on water usage because we do not know what will happen in years to come. This could be our lucky year, ” Maele said.
Regarding connection of sanitation pipes in Tlokweng, Maele told residents that Government does not have funds to connect sewage pipes across the village.
Maele raised a concern over some members of the public who have the tendency of ignoring the Water Act and continue abstraction activities from the Notwane River illegally.
“You should be given permission to do that because doing so disturbs the flow of water along that river. It is not allowed for you to connect pipes from the Notwane River to wherever.
At first the Land Board should be aware of where the pipes cross and to where,” Maele said. Residents said they feared the possibility of hidden charges despite the cancellation of water standard charges.
Kenneth Segokgo questioned if there will be no hidden charges or instances where water charges will be increased following these charges. Boitumelo Kgosimore raised a concern that they were currently paying sewage charges whilst not connected to the sewage pipes.
“We need our village to be connected with sanitation pipes because we use a lot of money to hire sewage draining trucks to collect our sewage waste,” Kgosimore said.
Mmapula Matlapeng pleaded with Government to consider their plea made in 2002 requesting for wells or small dams within the outskirts of the village to water their livestock.
“To date we have not received the response. We are worried that our cattle are currently crossing Notwane River in search of water and we are being charged a lot of money,” Matlapeng said.