Residents slam prepaid water meters plan

Harare residents have strongly opposed the government's plan to roll out prepaid water meters in the capital, saying the move will do little to resolve the city's deepening water crisis and instead risks becoming another profit-driven scheme that burdens already struggling households.

The opposition was led by the Harare Residents Trust (HRT), which on Tuesday accused both the central government and Harare City Council (CoH) of prioritising commercial interests over meaningful service delivery improvements.

"Prepaid water meters will never help improve the quantity of water delivered to the residents, nor will they address the quality of the water supplied," HRT said in a statement.

The trust criticised local authorities for failing to invest in fixing widespread leaks, illegal water connections, and poor infrastructure that result in the loss of non-revenue water - water that is produced but never reaches residents due to system failures.

"Given the deliberate failure by the City of Harare to secure a functional, transparent and accountable enterprise resource planning system, it is prudent to first invest in plugging the leakages and upgrading infrastructure before introducing prepaid meters," the statement added.

The HRT also raised alarm over the lack of public consultation surrounding the project and accused authorities of signing secretive contracts under a Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) model without engaging residents - the primary consumers and taxpayers.

According to HRT, the government awarded the contract to install prepaid water meters to Chinese firm Hangzhou Liaison Technology Company and local company Helcraw Electrical Company, which is owned by Zanu-PF legislator Farai Jere. The deal reportedly bypassed a public tender process, and the full contract terms remain unknown.

"These private companies are being brought in to make a profit, not to improve water service delivery," HRT said, warning that the involvement of politically connected businesses further erodes public trust.

In light of the controversy, HRT is calling on parliamentary committees to convene public hearings on the prepaid water meter policy to allow residents and stakeholders to voice their concerns.

"The public must be allowed to participate in decision-making processes, especially those affecting essential services," said the trust.

Harare's water crisis has persisted for years, characterised by erratic supply, unsafe drinking water, pollution in catchment areas, and dilapidated infrastructure. Many residents go days without water, resorting to unsafe sources or purchasing water from private suppliers at high costs.

Experts argue that without first addressing the root causes of poor water service - including maintenance backlogs, corruption, and inadequate investment - the prepaid meter initiative will only further marginalise low-income households and deepen existing inequalities.

As tensions grow, the prepaid water meter project threatens to become a flashpoint in the broader debate over urban governance, public accountability, and access to basic services in Zimbabwe.