Prepaid Water Revolution Expands

Harare’s water crisis is turning a corner. In a partnership with Helcraw Water Pvt Ltd, the city has already installed over 80,000 prepaid smart meters, surpassing projections and putting the capital on track for 322 000 meters citywide under the broader plan.

Harare Mayor Jacob Mafume has been the project’s most vocal champion, framing it as the only way to save the city from collapse.

“The days of irresponsible water usage are over,” Mayor Mafume said noting that Harare currently loses a staggering 60 percent of treated water, over USD 3 million monthly-to leaks, illegal connections and theft before it reaches consumers.

His target is to slash that figure to just 10 percent.

“That means for every dollar we spend on water, we only recoup 40 cents. The aim is to change that, to make sure water reaches its intended destination and that every litre is accounted for,” he said.

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Mayor Mafume has also directly addressed resident concerns about estimated billing.

“People were complaining that we were charging them for what we were not giving them. So once you have a prepaid water meter, if the water has not come, we are not charging you. Also, we are no longer giving you estimates,” he said during a recent site tour.

He added that the system would also resolve long-standing landlord-tenant disputes over utility payments.

Defending the partnership with Helcraw and the central government against political criticism, the mayor struck a pragmatic tone.

“We make no apology for working with the central government… Sewage smells just as bad to an opposition person. Water tastes as good to a Zanu-PF person as it does to someone in the opposition.”

He emphasised that the private sector partnership allows the council to get revenue in real time, enabling reinvestment in crumbling infrastructure.

The Harare success has triggered an ambitious national expansion.

Under a “Build, Operate and Transfer” framework involving the government, Helcraw, and Chinese technology firm Hangzhou Liaison Technology Company, 600 000 prepaid meters are slated for installation nationwide.

Harare leads with a target of 322 000 meters over the next three years, while other cities now in the pipeline include Bulawayo, Gweru, Mutare, and Victoria Falls, which will receive the remaining meters in the initial phase.

Chitungwiza, Epworth and Ruwa are also on the expansion list as Harare’s coverage grows and beyond the major cities, towns like Karoi, Hwange, Guruve and Gokwe are already adopting the prepaid system.

This momentum is built on real results. The smart system enables real-time leak detection and has already seen over 52km of ageing asbestos pipes replaced with modern PVC.

Suburbs such as Belvedere, Westlea, Mabelreign and Warren Park are among the first to benefit, with residents largely welcoming the shift from estimated billing to a prepaid system.

Residents once choked by bills that didn’t match their consumption now speak of a new era of control and transparency.

“Since we started using the smart meter, everything works. We have no complaints. All the pipes have been replaced,” said Muriel Mangwende, an Ashdown Park resident who endured decades of poor service.

Kuwadzana 5 resident Angeline Zindoga echoed the sentiment, “We will only pay for the water we actually use.”

Mayor Mafume summed up the vision, “Our water leaves Morton Jaffray clean, but it becomes contaminated along the way because of old and burst pipes. We want residents to drink Harare water without fear. Clean water is not a privilege. it is a right.”

With the prepaid meter system now proving its worth in cutting leakages, enhancing delivery, and giving residents control over their bills, Zimbabwe’s water future looks clearer than it has in decades.