Zimbabwe News Update
expressmail
2 min read
harare— helcraw engineering has assured residents that the introduction of prepaid smart water meters under the helcraw water project will not make water more expensive, but instead help households save money through efficient usage and accurate billing. speaking during the event, helcraw director farai jere dismissed fears that the prepaid water system would burden residents, emphasizing that the project aims to make water provision more reliable and affordable. “helcraw is not a fly-by-night company. we have successfully installed prepaid water meters in hwange and karoi, where residents have been overwhelmed by how cost-effective the system has been,” said jere.
“the same benefits will be realised in harare, where we are also refurbishing the entire water infrastructure to reduce losses and improve delivery.” the project, which has already commenced, involves the installation of prepaid smart meters and the refurbishment of 500 kilometres of water distribution pipelines stretching from morton jaffray water works to domestic connections. harare has long struggled with a shambolic billing system, where most residents are charged based on estimates despite inconsistent water supply. experts say the introduction of prepaid smart meters will ensure residents pay only for the water they consume, enhance transparency, and help the city recover lost revenue from leaks and inaccurate readings.
speaking at the same event, zimbabwe national organisation of associations and residents trust (znoart) national chairperson shalvar chikomba hailed the project as a major step toward resolving harare’s decades-old water crisis. “the central government has once again demonstrated its willingness to listen to citizens by facilitating this initiative,” said chikomba. “reports show that up to 60 percent of treated water is lost through leaks. this project will help address those losses and improve reliability.” chikomba said znoart’s petition to president emmerson mnangagwa over the worsening urban water situation prompted the government to act, showing responsiveness to residents’ concerns.
he also commended helcraw’s comprehensive approach, which goes beyond metering to include infrastructure rehabilitation and data-driven monitoring. “the new meters will provide real-time usage data, enable accurate billing, and allow early leak detection. residents have paid for water for too long without receiving it this project changes that,” said chikomba. source: expressmail zimbabwe
