RESIDENTS of Mwansekwa Ward in Mbeya City have been granted a long-awaited reprieve after Mbeya Urban Water Supply and Sanitation Authority (MBEYA-UWSA) waived outstanding water bills that had accumulated over the years due to non-payment.

The announcement was made by MBEYA-UWSA Director Gilbert Kayange yesterday during the official launch of a new borehole water project aimed at improving water access in the area.

The decision followed requests from residents who explained that their unpaid bills stemmed from a lack of understanding about how to use the meters installed by the authority. Some households had accrued debts of up to 700,000/-, making repayment difficult.

Mwansekwa Ward Councillor, Juma Mwakalobo, noted that confusion during the initial meter installation phase led to many residents being unaware they were accumulating bills.

“Now that clean water is available, we ask that all previous debts be forgiven so that everyone can start afresh,” Mwakalobo said. “We also request that meters be installed for all households—this would be a huge step forward for us.”

Before the new borehole project, residents faced severe water shortages, often walking long distances to fetch water. The previous system only served select neighbourhoods, leaving many areas without access.

The new borehole, implemented at a cost of over 120m/-, has a production capacity of 720,000 litres per day and is expected to serve more than 2,400 residents in the ward.

“In addition to this borehole, we’ve also developed others in Gombe and Mwenge, and we plan to drill another one in Isyesye,” he said.

Responding to residents' requests, Kayange announced that all outstanding bills would be cancelled and that billing would resume afresh starting next month. “This request does not require board meetings—I have the legal mandate and I officially declare all previous debts nullified,” he said, while urging residents to ensure they pay for the service going forward.

Mbeya Urban MP who is also Speaker of the National Assembly, Dr Tulia Ackson, who also attended the launch, urged residents to protect water sources and the environment to ensure the sustainability of ongoing and future water projects. She encouraged the planting of water-friendly trees around water sources.

“This project addresses immediate water challenges while we continue with the implementation of the strategic Kiwira River Water Source Project,” she said.