By Regis Chingawo
The Zimbabwe National Organisation of Associations and Residents Trust (ZNOART) has commended Chinhoyi Municipality and its private-sector partner, Helcraw Water, for progress in restoring reliable water supplies to more than 3,500 households following Government intervention to address the town’s longstanding water crisis.
In an appreciation statement dated 19 October 2026, ZNOART National Chairman Shepherd Shalvar Chikomba said the development marked a significant step towards improving residents’ living conditions, although more households across Chinhoyi still required access to clean, safe and reliable running water.
The organisation acknowledged the role of the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works in implementing the intervention following President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s directive on 14 September 2026 to address persistent water shortages in the town.
According to ZNOART, some residents had reportedly endured more than 30 years without reliable running water.
The organisation also welcomed the introduction of a prepaid water distribution network and efforts to replace Chinhoyi’s ageing water pipes, which extend for more than 107 kilometres.
It said the interventions could improve water distribution, reduce water losses, strengthen revenue collection and enhance the long-term sustainability of water services.
However, ZNOART urged Chinhoyi Municipality and Helcraw Water to extend the ongoing rehabilitation works to all affected suburbs, particularly high-density residential areas where water shortages remain a challenge.
“More households still require reliable access to clean, safe water,” Chikomba said.
The organisation called for the expansion of water connections, replacement of obsolete pipes, repairs to leaking infrastructure and measures to ensure that households received consistent supplies of treated water.
It also urged the responsible authorities to provide regular public updates on project progress, the number of households reached, implementation timelines and outstanding challenges.
On the prepaid water system, ZNOART said the initiative should improve operational efficiency and financial sustainability without compromising residents’ fair access to water.
The organisation further called on local authorities across Zimbabwe to embrace public-private partnerships (PPPs) as a practical approach to addressing longstanding infrastructure and service delivery challenges.
It said partnerships with competent private-sector companies could help mobilise investment, technical expertise and operational capacity to improve water supplies, sewer systems, roads and waste management.
However, ZNOART stressed that such arrangements must be guided by transparency, accountability, clearly defined responsibilities and measurable benefits for residents.
“The ultimate objective must be improved service delivery and better living conditions, not merely the introduction of new infrastructure or payment systems,” the organisation said.
ZNOART emphasised that residents must remain at the centre of development initiatives, noting that access to clean water was fundamental to human dignity, public health and sustainable community development.
The organisation congratulated Chinhoyi Municipality, Helcraw Water and the relevant Government authorities on the progress achieved so far, while urging them to sustain the momentum until every affected household had reliable access to safe running water.
It also encouraged residents to engage constructively with the authorities, report persistent water challenges and participate in efforts to protect and maintain the town’s water infrastructure.
“Restoring water supplies to more than 3,500 households is commendable, but the ultimate goal must be reliable water access for every household in Chinhoyi,” Chikomba said.
ZNOART is an apex body representing residents and residents’ associations across Zimbabwe, with a focus on service delivery, community development, infrastructure, environmental protection, healthcare, transparency and accountability, social welfare, and the prevention of drug and substance abuse.