About 700 households in Koës Village will have pre-paid water meters installed by the council at a cost of N$236,000. 

The Chairperson of Koës Village Council, Willem Labuschagne, says this is to curb water wastage in the village.

Speaking to nbc News, Labuschagne says the council currently pumps about 15,000 liters of water each day from their reservoirs, but the revenue generated monthly does not add up.

He says residents are not honoring their water bills, which deprives the council of much-needed revenue.

"We reduced our price from N$21 per cubic to N$15 per cubic because we have our own water. We are now busy with pre-paid water meters, and we have proposed 700 water meters because that is our biggest problem. We use about 15,000 cubic meters an hour, and revenue must be about N$700,000 a month, but we get an amount of $30,000 a month." 

Labuschagne called on the residents to visit their offices and make arrangements to settle their outstanding water bills.

"For seven years' customers were warned and warned. All we want to do with them is come and make arrangements on how they will pay, but yes, we have set a date for April, and even though all residents must have water meters before the first of July, all residents must be on the water billing system, so we must do that, and beginning in July 2023, we will have to make a decision on whether we will cut or not."

Koës residents recently staged a demonstration against the village council after reports of imminent water cuts started to circulate.