No More Free Water: Govt Rolls Out Prepaid Meters Across Zimbabwe
The days of unlimited access to water without paying are officially coming to an end. The government has confirmed that prepaid water meters will soon be installed across the country, with Harare set to lead the rollout.
The first meters will be installed over the next two weeks in selected suburbs. This comes after contracts were signed with the City of Harare, Hangzhou Liaison Technology Company, and Helcraw Electrical, paving the way for the partial privatisation of the urban water system.
The prepaid meter programme is part of a broader Build, Operate and Transfer (BOT) model, which will see private firms managing raw water purification, distribution, billing, and wastewater treatment.
As part of the initial rollout, 600,000 meters will be installed across major cities, with 320,000 allocated to Harare. The remaining units will be distributed to Bulawayo, Gweru, Mutare, and Victoria Falls.
The government will begin in high-density suburbs, including Chitungwiza, Norton, and Ruwa, before expanding to other cities and towns in the second phase.
Local Government and Public Works Minister Daniel Garwe confirmed the programme is underway and said installation will begin shortly.
“We have signed contracts with the investor; they are now on site,” he said. “It is a process, however, we are glad that it has begun and in Harare we will start installing the pre-paid meters in the next two or three weeks. We will first focus on the high-density suburbs on every house. We will then install in other suburbs across the country,” Garwe said.
His comments highlight that this is not just about meters. The entire water delivery system, from source to tap, is now being restructured under private management.
Garwe also said that Harare would receive a new water treatment plant as part of the project. The idea of prepaid water meters has been around for over 10 years, but implementation stalled due to a mix of public resistance and institutional delays.
Follow Us on Google News for Immediate Updates
The post No More Free Water: Govt Rolls Out Prepaid Meters Across Zimbabwe appeared first on iHarare News.
