By Stephen Mpofu
Residents of Warren Park suburb in Harare, have expressed growing anger and frustration over the installation of prepaid water meters in the suburb, saying the move could worsen the already difficult living conditions faced by many households.
While authorities argue that the meters are meant to promote efficient water use and improve revenue collection, residents fear the system will limit access to a basic necessity and disproportionately affect low-income families.
Several community members who spoke to this publication said they were not adequately consulted before the rollout, accusing the City of Harare of imposing the programme without addressing persistent water supply challenges that have long plagued the area.
Residents argue that introducing prepaid billing before guaranteeing reliable water delivery risks deepening tensions between the council and ratepayers.
The controversy has ignited debate across the community, with residents calling for transparency, dialogue, and assurances that access to water will not be compromised under the new system.
““I am furious with the local authorities for misleading me. They assured me that once the prepaid water meter was installed, my water usage would be deducted from the advance payment I had already made.
“However, since the installation, I have not received any water,” said Amos Mapuranga, a resident, who had paid his water rates in advance, expressed frustration after failing to access water following the installation of the prepaid meter, despite earlier assurances that his prior payment would cover future billing.
Mapuranga was speaking at a meeting a meeting facilitated by the Community Water Alliance (CWA) on Thursday where residents expressed strong dissatisfaction with the installation of the prepaid water meters.
Community Water Alliance, National coordinator Hardlife Mudzingwa accused the City Council of acting in bad faith, saying it was prioritising the installation of water meters instead of rehabilitating the city’s ageing infrastructure.
Coordinator Mudzingwa added the installation of prepaid water meters was being financed through a loan secured from China at a time when the city continues to lose vast amounts of treated water through leakages and ageing infrastructure.
He noted that nearly 60 percent of Harare’s treated water is classified as non-revenue water due to pipe bursts, leakages, illegal connections and outdated systems, arguing that the loan could have been better utilised to rehabilitate the city’s deteriorating water infrastructure.
“What beats logic is that Harare is losing close to 60 percent of its treated water as non-revenue water. Instead of prioritising the rehabilitation of the ageing pipes and fixing leaks to reduce these losses, the City Fathers are focusing on installing meters and billing residents for a service that is rarely available,” Mudzingwa explained.
He added that residents believe addressing infrastructure challenges first would improve water supply across suburbs before authorities move to tighten revenue collection mechanisms.
““We were told the prepaid water meters would improve service delivery, but the reality on the ground is very different. Since the meter was installed, I rarely get water, yet they expect us to keep buying units. How can we pay for something we are not receiving? It feels like we are being forced to pay for dry taps while the council ignores the real problems with the water system,” the resident complained.