NRWB reverts to postpaid billing

Northern Region Water Board (NRWB) is replacing prepaid billing water meters with postpaid ones following a breakdown of the board’s prepaid vending system.

In a recent notice issued on its Facebook page, the board advised customers to use fire mode triggering methods which works only for six hours by pressing a button attached to each prepaid meter until they are supplied with postpaid meters.

In an interview on Tuesday in Mzuzu, the board’s spokesperson, Edward Nyirenda said the water supply utility was working to resolve the situation.

“The issue is that our prepaid vending system is down, as such we are replacing the prepaid water meters with postpaid ones so that our customers continue to access potable water,” he said.

But Nyirenda was quick to mention that customers should not be worried with water bills generated by postpaid meters, saying the difference would depend on consumption levels.

One of the board’s customers at Area 4 in the city, Rose Tonga, said the development has negatively affected her. She alleged that postpaid meters generate higher tariffs than prepaid meters.

NRWB, alongside other water supply utilities such as Blantyre Water Board, Lilongwe Water Board and Southern Region Water Board, embarked on a prepaid billing project to enhance revenue collection amid high default rates and delayed settlement of bills among postpaid billing customers.