A local water advocacy group has criticised a major water sector loan for Harare warning that the money is being directed towards prepaid meters instead of repairing the city’s ageing and leaking pipe network.
The Community Water Alliance (CWA) says the reported US$400 million facility risks failing residents if it does not first address the infrastructure responsible for most water losses.
In an interview with 263chat on the sideline of a community engagement with Harare residents, CWA director Hardlife Mudzingwa said investment in water services was welcome but only if it delivered real improvements.
“We welcome financial resources meant to improve access to water for residents in Harare, but that has to happen within a framework that ensures efficiency, effectiveness and value for money,” he said.
Mudzingwa said the loan is intended to reduce non-revenue water — water that is produced but never paid for — which he estimates at around 60% of the city’s total supply.
He explained that most of the losses were physical.
“Non-revenue water stands at 60%, and of that, 40% are physical losses — water that is lost through burst and leaking pipes,” he said.
The remaining 20%, he added is made up of commercial losses including illegal connections, faulty meters and unpaid bills.
But Mudzingwa argues that the focus of the loan is tilted towards the smaller problem.
“Instead of focusing mainly on the 40% component, the loan is focusing on the 20% and installing about 350,000 prepaid water meters,” he said.
He said the Alliance had expected the funding to prioritise the rehabilitation of Harare’s water distribution network which stretches for about 5 000 kilometres.
However, he claimed that only 170 kilometres of piping are set to be repaired under the deal — a fraction of what is needed.
“That can consume around five million only of the close to 400 million deal,” he said.
Mudzingwa described the strategy as a “misplaced investment priority” and urged authorities to rethink how the money is allocated.
He said the community meetings were aimed at gathering residents’ views on how the loan should be used.
“We are engaging locals to hear their views on what they think should be done around the use of the loan,” he said.
