Bethanie imposes water restrictions

THE Bethanie Village Council has imposed stiff water rationing on its estimated 3 000 residents to reduce the village’s water bill.

Water is now supplied daily to residents between 06h00 and 07h00, 13h00 and 1400 and 17h00 and 20h00. According to the Village Council’s Secretary, Willie Humphries, Bethanie’s average monthly water bill is N$60 000.”The Council struggles to makes ends meet and the decision was taken to avert a possible water cut by the bulk water supplier to the village,” he said.He said the Council was not only paying the current bill but also backpayments on its arrears, and was struggling to make ends meet.He declined to say how much is owed to NamWater, but The Namibian has it on good authority that the amount is in the region of N$800 000.The Council has to pay off this debt in monthly instalments of N$16 000.The move was criticised by the secretary of the Bethanie Taxpayers’ Association, Andre Knouwds.”With the water restrictions Council is deepening the financial crisis it finds itself in, since revenue being generated from water will be much less because of the water restrictions,” he said.Knouwds blamed the village’s financial crisis on alleged incompetence on the part of its councillors.”Now some villagers paying their water accounts on time are also punished,” he charged.Humphries said the water restrictions were temporary, but could not say how long they would be in place.”We welcome any valuable advice from the residents, therefore they should stop throwing stones before acquainting themselves with the real problems facing the Council,” he said.According to the Village Council’s Secretary, Willie Humphries, Bethanie’s average monthly water bill is N$60 000. “The Council struggles to makes ends meet and the decision was taken to avert a possible water cut by the bulk water supplier to the village,” he said.He said the Council was not only paying the current bill but also backpayments on its arrears, and was struggling to make ends meet.He declined to say how much is owed to NamWater, but The Namibian has it on good authority that the amount is in the region of N$800 000.The Council has to pay off this debt in monthly instalments of N$16 000.The move was criticised by the secretary of the Bethanie Taxpayers’ Association, Andre Knouwds.”With the water restrictions Council is deepening the financial crisis it finds itself in, since revenue being generated from water will be much less because of the water restrictions,” he said.Knouwds blamed the village’s financial crisis on alleged incompetence on the part of its councillors.”Now some villagers paying their water accounts on time are also punished,” he charged.Humphries said the water restrictions were temporary, but could not say how long they would be in place.”We welcome any valuable advice from the residents, therefore they should stop throwing stones before acquainting themselves with the real problems facing the Council,” he said.