By Daniel Chigundu
Kuwadza East legislator Charlton Hwende has praised Harare City Council’s controversial pre-paid water metre deal with Helcraw Water.
Hwende said the deal reflects tangible progress being made to end perennial water challenges in the capital city.
“I rise today to bring to the attention of this House a matter of national importance and a cause for collective celebration.
“(It) is the significant and tangible progress being made in addressing the perennial water crisis that has affected our capital City of Harare, for decades.
“For far too long, the people of Harare have endured the hardship of unreliable and often nonexistent water supply.
“This has not only been a grave inconvenience but a serious public health and economic challenge.
Hwende added that a staggering 60% of treated water is being lost as non-revenue water.
This is due to a dilapidated and crumbling network.
“It is, therefore, with a great sense of hope and commitment that I draw this House to the public private partnership between the Government of Zimbabwe, the City of Harare and the engineering firm Helcraw.
“This strategic collaboration has moved from a promise to action”, he said.
Under the deal Helcraw, owned by ZANU PF legislator Farai Jere, will replace about 500 kilometres network of water pipes.
It will upgrade and install water pumps, as well as installation of 600 000 pre-paid smart water metres.
The smart metres will cover ratepayers in Harare, Norton, Ruwa, Epworth, and Chitungwiza.
Groundbreaking Water Deal
Harare has a water pipe network which is roughly 6,500-kilometre long running through the various suburbs and neighbouring towns.
Work to replace the old pipes has already commenced beginning in Warren Park before spreading to other places in this three phase project.
The first phase is earmarked for completion in April 2026.
Resistance From Residents
Hwende’s effusive praise for the deal is however at odds with various resident organisations which have clashed with HCC.
Recently, Harare Residents Trust (HRT) dismissed the deal as a misdiagnosis.
It argued that the problem lies with leakages and illegal connections.
HRT states that the new intervention will not address the primary issue of water shortages in the capital.
“The water crisis is a crisis of governance.
“Leakages and illegal connections by council engineers have created water consumers who are not on the council’s billing database.
“Prepaid water meters will never resolve the mismanagement and abuse of water revenues.
