Moffat Mungazi
Ray Bande
Senior Reporter
CITY of Mutare has the highest number of water pipe bursts nationwide, and the new smart prepaid water meters project aims to alleviate this challenge, says Town Clerk, Mr Blessing Chafesuka.
Mr Chafesuka attributed the frequent pipe bursts to the city’s gradient, which causes water to flow with high pressure in most residential areas.
To address this, the city council is investing heavily in repairing and installing new water reticulation infrastructure under its 2025 budget.
“Our major investment is going towards addressing non-revenue water. Due to Mutare’s terrain, we have experienced the highest number of water pipe bursts in the country. In fact, our engineer informed me that our water pressure gauge often reaches 70, whereas the standard pressure should be around 10.
“This excessive pressure is the primary cause of frequent pipe bursts. To mitigate this issue, we have acquired the first batch of Pressure Reducing Valves (PRVs) and Air Reducing Valves (ARVs) following a tender concluded last year. These valves will help reduce pressure in our water pipeline system, making it a crucial project for us,” he said.
Mr Chafesuka highlighted the challenge posed by artisanal miners in providing clean water to ratepayers.
“In other areas, they usually say water comes occasionally, but here in Mutare, we say water occasionally goes. We have a system still intact, and we are trying to protect it. Only last week, we had a major burst. We still have problems with artisanal miners. After fitting the pipe and starting testing, artisanal miners arrived that same night. When we returned for routine checks, artisanal miners had besieged the area, so we had to mobilise security to guard the place,” he said.
The Mutare Town Clerk announced the introduction of a smart water meter system pilot project in the city.
“Non-revenue water is water lost through bursts or stolen through illegal connections. We treat this water and incur expenses without generating revenue. Smart prepaid water meters will help address this. We have two parallel projects for smart prepaid water meters. City of Mutare has partnered with Harare Institute of Technology to roll out this project.
“Over the last two weeks, we received 100 meters that will serve as a pilot project for smart prepaid water meters. Our Engineering Department is working on the modalities on which properties will receive these meters, and how the pilot phase will be implemented.
“While we were in the midst of this, Government launched a similar project. I am sure we are all aware that it was announced by the Minister of Local Government and Public Works, and we were also invited to participate in the project. Council resolved that these two projects will run concurrently, and there is a council resolution to that effect. I can now announce that we will be concluding the discussions on how we will cooperate with the Government contractor in the rollout. At law, the council is allowed to install meters. The 100 meters we received were mainly targeted at commercial properties, but we will hear from the Government on where they intend to start,” said Mr Chafesuka.
He spoke glowingly about the benefits of installing the smart water meter system.
“The good thing is that with smart prepaid water meters, people can plan their consumption. If a family goes on holiday, and won’t be using water, they won’t be charged for unused water. This system also helps us recover revenue from water used by our clients. For this service to be sustainable, it must be paid for on time. Our residents should be prepared for these changes. This is a Government programme, and council is part of Government. We hope our residents will support this initiative,” he said.
The average water supply in Mutare has been 22,5 hours per day over the past six years, up from 15 hours prior to that.
Mr Chafesuka said: “We have several areas that require assistance to access water, particularly those developed by private developers. Once we connect Gimboki, water problems will be resolved for Dangamvura Area 3 as well.”
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