Harare’s ambitious water supply upgrade project is accelerating, marking one of the most significant overhauls of the city’s infrastructure in decades. With more than 20 000 smart water meters already delivered for the pilot phase, authorities say the transformation will drastically reduce water losses, improve efficiency, and restore consistent water supply to long-neglected suburbs.
In Warren Park, the impact is already visible. Old, corrosion-prone asbestos pipes are being removed and replaced with modern PVC piping. Several streets have been completed, and residents who had gone for years, some even decades without reliable water, are now receiving clean, running water.
In an interview with the media yesterday, Helcraw Water Chief Executive Officer, Mr Zedock Muchoko, said the momentum is strong and expanding.
“Water is now flowing in Warren Park, where we managed to install new pipes, and we are continuing with work. Our teams are on the ground to map out other areas including Avondale so we continue replacing old water pipes with new ones,” he said.
The installation of new pipes is central to reducing water losses, with nearly 60 percent of water pumped from Morton Jaffrey previously lost through leaks and bursts. The financial losses for the council were substantial, making rehabilitation urgent and unavoidable.
In another major step forward, Helcraw Water received the first batch of smart meters sourced from China.
“We received about 20 000 smart water meters, which we will install in areas where pipes have been replaced and water is now flowing. Our objective is to install about 60 000 smart meters under the first phase,” Mr Muchoko added.
The first phase includes 100km of pipe replacement in areas already receiving water, along with major works at the Morton Jaffrey Water Treatment Plant, which is being upgraded to boost production to over 500 megalitres per day. This expansion is expected to significantly improve supply reliability across Harare.
The prepaid smart water system represents another milestone under President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s Call to Action, launched in November 2023 to push councils toward improved service delivery. The project is widely seen as a key step toward achieving an upper-middle-income society by 2030, ensuring clean, reliable water supply for all urban residents.
