Several government departments, religious places and a number of residents in western Herat province owe around 208 million Afghanis to the water supply department in unpaid bills.
Ratib Hamim, head of the water supply and canalization in the western zone, told a press conference in Herat City that his department had been unable to implement its development projects due to the nonpayment of bills.
“Unpaid bills amounting to 156 million Afghanis belong to residential buildings, 34 million Afghanis to 23 government departments, 18 million to religious buildings,” he said.
“The water supply and canalization only covers seven districts of Herat that include Ghorian, Zanda Jan, Shindand, Obe and Pashton Zarghon”, Hamim added.
He said non-payment of bills, an outdated water network system and lack of advanced tools for repairing and identifying lakes were their main problems.
Meanwhile, governor’s spokesman Jilani Farhad told Pajhwok Afghan News that defaulting government organs would clear their dues soon.
Sayed Ashraf Sadat, a civil society activist in Herat, asked water consumers to pay their bills on time in order to let the water utility implement its development projects.
According to local officials, the water supply department has more than 65,000 customers in the western zone of the country.
