Story by Panashe Nagoli
RESIDENTS in Harare say the rollout of smart water meters has brought long-awaited relief, replacing the controversial estimated billing system previously used by the City of Harare.
For years, residents were subjected to estimated bills that often resulted in inflated charges, despite inconsistent and, at times, poor-quality water supply.
For Ashdown Park resident Muriel Mangwende, the experience had remained unchanged for decades.
“My old meters were changed three times, and I used to get bills that were meant for companies, and we would always complain to the council about it. The water never used to be there, and when it was there, it was very dirty,” she said.
The situation is now improving following a government-facilitated public-private partnership between the City of Harare and Helcraw Water, which has introduced smart prepaid water meters alongside the rehabilitation of ageing infrastructure.
Residents say the changes have brought greater transparency and improved service delivery.
“Since the introduction of the smart water meters, we cannot complain that everything is going on well, all the pipes were changed, and when you pay for your water, you get it,” Mangwende said.
“Look, ever since the council introduced these meters, you can actually tell that the water is cleaner and is now more available, and this is really good,” another resident said.
“We really want to thank the government because the issue of billing was a serious problem for us, but now everything is going well,” another resident added.
Managing Director of Helcraw Water, Mr Zodeck Muchoko, said the project is progressing steadily, with more suburbs set to benefit, although temporary disruptions may occur due to ongoing pipe rehabilitation.
“We are progressing quite well, and more suburbs are set to benefit from this government-led initiative. However, we are also aware of concerns from residents due to a disruption of the water supply, and this is due to the rehabilitation of pipes,” he said.
To date, over 30,000 prepaid smart water meters have been installed, marking a significant step towards improving water management and service delivery in the capital.
