Online ReporterCorrespondent
PUBLIC-PRIVATE partnerships are increasingly emerging as a powerful solution to Zimbabwe’s infrastructure challenges, particularly in the water sector.
In Harare, collaboration between the city council and Helcraw Water is demonstrating how innovative partnerships can help modernise ageing water systems and improve service delivery for residents.
For years, Harare’s water infrastructure has faced immense pressure from population growth, ageing pipelines and outdated systems.
Much of the city’s water network was installed decades ago and has deteriorated over time, leading to frequent bursts, leaks and water losses.
Addressing these challenges requires significant investment and modern technologies that improve the efficiency of water distribution and management.
Through its partnership with the City of Harare, Helcraw Water is implementing a series of infrastructure upgrades designed to strengthen the city’s water network, while introducing innovative solutions that support sustainable water management.
One of the major components of the programme is the installation of smart prepaid water meters across the capital.
As of March 13, 2026, more than 18 000 smart prepaid water meters had been installed in Harare.
These meters are helping households better manage their water consumption, while improving monitoring and efficiency across the city’s distribution system. The rollout is expected to accelerate following the arrival of additional meters.
In the first quarter of 2026, Helcraw Water received approximately 60 000 smart prepaid meters, which are now in Zimbabwe.
These will be deployed to various suburbs as the project expands. The short-term goal of the programme is to instal 320 000 smart prepaid water meters, a target that will gradually increase over time as the system continues to expand across the city.
Complementing the metering programme is a large-scale pipeline rehabilitation and replacement initiative. A significant portion of Harare’s water network still relies on ageing asbestos cement pipes that have reached the end of their lifespan.
These pipes are being replaced with modern PVC pipes, which are safer, more durable and better suited for long-term water distribution.
The project aims to replace about 500 kilometres of ageing pipelines, strengthening the reliability of the water supply network.
The replacement of pipes works hand in hand with the installation of smart meters, ensuring that leakages are reduced while the efficiency of the entire water system improves.
Another key component of the partnership involves increasing the capacity of the Morton Jaffray Water Treatment Works, Harare’s main water treatment facility.
Investments are being directed towards expanding the plant’s treatment capacity to 80 megalitres, enabling the city to better meet growing demand for safe, treated water.
Together, these programmes represent important short-term goals that are expected to expand over time as the city continues to modernise its water infrastructure.
By strengthening water treatment capacity, replacing ageing pipes and introducing smart metering technology, the partnership between Helcraw Water and the City of Harare is supporting national efforts to improve service delivery and develop critical infrastructure, an important pillar in Zimbabwe’s vision of achieving an upper middle-income economy by 2030.
