By A Correspondent- Bulawayo City Council (BCC) has warned ratepayers that it will disconnect water supplies to defaulting residents, adding that it is owed $1,3 billion.

Last month, BCC introduced credit control measures to recover amounts owed by residents, industries, government departments and ministries.

In a notice over the weekend, Bulawayo town clerk Christopher Dube said: “The City of Bulawayo would like to advise its valued customers, ratepayers and stakeholders that we will be intensifying debt collection from the month of February 2022 through service restrictions and other measures to all residential and commercial properties whose accounts are in arrears.”

He said residents could make payment arrangements to avoid penalties.

Last year in November council revealed that its credit control policy was reaping positive results as rate payments had improved from 13% to 71% after a number of ratepayers settled their bills.

The council’s finance and development committee chairperson, councillor Tawanda Ruzive said the new measures had seen an uptick in rates payment.

Ruzive urged ratepayers to make payments every month to avoid penalties.

Bulawayo mayor, councillor Solomon Mguni last year said only 13% of the residents paid their bills in full in 2020.