By Daniel Chigundu
Harare Mayor Jacob Mafume has doubled down on the city’s partnership with Helcraw Water for the prepaid water metres project, despite heavy criticism from some quarters.
The project, estimated to be worth multiple millions of dollars, will see Helcraw replacing about 500 kilometres of the water pipe network. Harare has a roughly 6,500-kilometre water pipe network running through the suburbs.
There will also be upgrades and installation of water pumps, and the installation of about 600,000 prepaid smart water metres in areas supplied by Harare (Norton, Ruwa, Epworth, and Chitungwiza).
Speaking during a tour of Helcraw’s premises by the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Local Government—where some of the equipment is being kept—Harare Mayor Jacob Mafume said the project represents the biggest investment in water and that residents must help him to applaud the government for the initiative.
‘’This is the biggest investent in water by central government in over two or three decades, and this is the biggest investment it will look at our pumps, will look at our distribution network 500km, it will look at the qualitative element of the water, the labs that we are using, the quality of the water, and it will reduce non-rveneue water which is currently sitting at 60%.
‘’On behalf the residents, behalf of the council we must thank central government for investing in such huge amounts and on such a meaninful project and you must as residents assist me in thanking the ministry, the minister, the President. I know we have many other problems but you solve problems one by one,’’ he said.
Helcraw has already taken delivery of about 30 kilometres’ worth of pipes to replace old lines that have become prone to bursts and rust, among other issues.
The plan to replace the 500-kilometre network will be executed in three phases, with the first phase expected to be completed in April 2026. Contractors are already on the ground, replacing about 50 metres of pipe network per day.
