Maputo — Mozambique's publicly owned Water Supply Investment and Assets Fund (FIPAG) estimates that in the Greater Maputo Metropolitan Region over 25,000 people do not pay their water bills.
According to Cremildo Fernando, commercial director of FIPAG in southern Mozambique, the company is carrying out a campaign in the suburban neighbourhoods of Maputo, Matola and Boane in order to identify clients with expired bills.
"Per month, the company loses 50 million meticais (over 700,000 dollars, at the current exchange rate). We introduced a programme to stimulate the payment for water, but it does not work', he said, adding that illegal connections will be cut and removed.
FIPAG's demand for payment have always been controversial, as the clients claim to receive unfair bills from the company. The price of water consumption is said to be always high and it does not correspond to the real quantity of water consumed per month.
When the clients try to complain, according to an anonymous source heard by AIM, "FIPAG does not bring the solution. It is difficult to handle a contract with this company. I'm always paying too much money but they always bring to my home a note which says I'm in debt. I do not know why.'
"They always want money, but the way they charge the clients is unfair. They have to change so that the people can follow the rules. Since I got connected to this water system, they say I owe but I always pay', said another source, also anonymously.
