The water enterprise also aims to begin using a modern card payment system for its service

The Adama City Water and Sewerage Enterprise is set to start replacing old water usage meters with new ones from September 11, 2010, before embarking on a modern card payment system for its service.

Customers will be required to make down payments of 25pc when they receive the new meters, with the remaining amount payable within two years, while bodies with a high water consumption are required to make the full payment immediately, according to Yasin Omar, manager of the Adama Water and Sewerage Enterprise.

"The introduction of the new system has been delayed for sometime because the new water usage meters, which will replace the old ones that have been in service for more than 10 years, are expensive," Yasin told Fortune.

Adama, which has around 400,000 residents, uses water meters that are 20 to 40 years old but which should not be used for more than five years, according to Yassin.

"As a result of prolong usage, we encountered the malfunctioning of meters, causing water wastage," Yasin told Fortune. "In order for us to prevent waste and properly distribute the service and charge our customers, the old meters first have to be replaced with new ones."

Customers are expected to replace the old meters within five days, in accordance with programmes to be posted in their respective kebeles and renew their service agreement with the enterprise.

"We will be forced to terminate service for customers who fail to do so," Yasin said.

The city, which gets its water from the Awash River, has been faced with water shortages for some time.

The enterprise plans to double the current access to water with projects of 142 million Br, in addition to a joint project with the Oromia Water Works Enterprise to drill 10 wells in Modjo, according to Yasin.

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