By Correspondent
The government has set a piped water coverage target of 90% by 2027 in all urban areas.
Currently, about 55% to 56% of urban residents have access to safely managed piped water, according to Trading Economics.
Speaking recently, Local Government Minister Daniel Garwe said many Councils need to improve in order to meet Government targets.
“While a few councils are showing a positive trajectory, many are still lagging, trapped in cycles of poor resource management and administrative complacency.
“That era has officially come to an end,” he said.
“Piped water coverage must reach 90% in urban areas by next year, ensuring a minimum per capita daily delivery of 50 to 100 lit
“Service delivery is the only metric that matters.
“I stand before you today not to celebrate mediocre efforts, but to enforce institutional alignment with His Excellency, President Dr. Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa’s operational directive: “Call to Action – No Compromise to Service Delivery.”
Using results from an independent evaluation done by private firm Best Practices (Pvt) Ltd, Garwe said many Councils are struggling.
“Our strategic national goals toward Vision 2030 require standardized, high-quality public environments.
“We will no longer tolerate a country where a resident in one town enjoys clean water while a resident in a neighbouring district faces a cholera outbreak due to broken-down sewage systems.
New Targets for Councils
The government has already gazetted Statutory Instrument 170 of 2025 (Minimum Service Delivery Standards Indicators for Local Authorities Regulations).
This law outlines the non-negotiable baselines across essential sectors which Councils are expected to improve in.
The standards cover eight key service delivery areas: water production and distribution; wastewater management; environmental stewardship; public health; public safety; road maintenance; urban renewal; and governance.
The Government expects every local authority to meet these minimum standards as the baseline for service delivery.
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