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Prepaid water meters in Tetsane, Maseru (Lesotho), April 2008
The key to accessing water: In order to get water from this kind of prepaid water meter, you have to buy a key and charge it with credit for water.
In Tetsane (Maseru), a number of prepaid meters have been installed while the expansion of free communal water taps has been stopped.
Prepaid water meters only provide water to those who can afford it, a questionable policy especially in countries like Lesotho with a very high unemployment rate and almost half of the population living below the poverty line. A South African Court just issued a ruling against pre-paid water meters in Johannesburg township, requiring the provision of 50 litres of water free per person per day.
A man from Tetsane demonstrates how the prepaid water meter works.
When the key is inserted, the display shows the remaining credit, and water starts running from the tap.
Not everybody can afford to buy the key. Some members of the community pay their neighbours for using their keys.
Participants from the EWN conference "Let justice roll down like waters" smell the water. After that, only a few dare taste it.
Community members tell us that the Water and Sewerage Authority (WASA) had not involved them in the installment of the prepaid water meters. They hope that at least additional free communal taps will be installed.