Ratepayers will pay almost 12 percent more for water while the sewerage tariff is proposed to go up  by 8,6 percent. The new tariffs were announced by Mangaung mayor Olly Mlamleli during the metro’s budget speech on Friday afternoon. 

She says water tariffs are proposed to be increased by 11.95% for both residential and non-residential consumers. She adds proposed water tariff increases are informed by Bloem Water's envisaged increases of 9% for the 2019/20 financial period. 

Mlamleli says the Metro is currently in the process of reviewing the Service Level Agreement with Bloem Water.

She added it was established over the years the Metro has been over-charged by more than R311 million by Bloem Water and management is currently in the process of reconciling the figures.          

Last month, Bloem Water briefly reduced the bulk water supply to the Metro by almost 30 percent after they said the metro owed millions in unpaid water bills.

However the parties reached an agreement after Mangaung Metro  made partial payment to Bloem Water.  

Mlamleli also  says the sewerage tariffs are to be increased by an average of 8.6% in the 2019/20 financial year; while refuse removal tariffs are proposed to increase by an average of 10.79%;

Mlamleli announced the total revenue budget is projected at R8 billion in the 2019/2020 representing an increase in revenue of R 384 million as compared to the adjusted budget of R7.6 billion in the 2018/19 financial year.

The allocation for the two outer years is R8.5 billion and R9.1 billion respectively.

OFM News/Michael Tlhakudi