By Zachary Gava
Harare, (New Ziana) – Thousands of water users in Chivi and Rutenga are set to have greater control over their water bills following the installation of more than 3 000 prepaid meters by the Zimbabwe National Water Authority (ZINWA), as the authority steps up efforts to modernize service delivery.
The latest rollout, which saw 1 544 meters installed in Chivi and 1 475 in Rutenga, is part of ZINWA’s second phase of introducing prepaid water metering in small towns, growth points and rural service centres.
The programme is expected to spread to Mashava, Lupane, Zaka and Tsholotsho, while prepaid meters were also installed in Chirundu, Nyika and Gutu between June and August.
ZINWA Head of Corporate Communications and Marketing, Majorie Munyonga on Wednesday said the programme was intended to improve service delivery while giving consumers greater convenience in managing their water consumption.
“Prepaid water meters allow water users to pay for their water in advance, affording them greater convenience and control over their water consumption patterns,” she said.
The shift from post-paid to prepaid metering is also expected to address some of the billing challenges that have confronted consumers, particularly the accumulation of large bills from water consumed over a period without customers knowing the eventual cost.
Under the prepaid system, consumers can determine how much they want to spend on water, allowing households to plan their monthly expenditure according to their budgets.
Residents in areas where the meters have already been introduced have welcomed the development, saying it had helped bring greater certainty to water billing and giving them more control over their consumption.
For ZINWA, however, the benefits extend beyond consumers.
The authority says the system will reduce the resources required for monthly meter readings under the post-paid system, allowing personnel and other resources to be redirected towards repairs and maintenance of water treatment and distribution infrastructure.
Munyonga said the metering programme was part of a wider effort to improve the efficiency of water provision.
The prepaid rollout follows a trial of the system in Mvurwi and Chivhu in 2021, after which ZINWA progressively expanded the programme to other centres.
Prepaid meters have since been installed in Chivhu, Mvurwi, Murambinda, Guruve, Murehwa, Mutoko, Nyanga, Hwange, Gokwe, Filabusi, Karoi and Glendale.
The latest installations are being undertaken alongside other measures aimed at modernising ZINWA’s operations, including the solarisation of diesel-powered water stations and automation of more than 30 water supply stations.
The automation programme is expected to reduce human interface in the operation of water supply facilities, while solarisation is aimed at improving the efficiency and reliability of stations currently dependent on diesel power.
With the prepaid system continuing to spread, ZINWA is effectively moving away from a model in which consumers receive bills after using water towards one that places greater emphasis on upfront payment, consumption monitoring and household budgeting.
The authority said the expansion would continue to other areas where it provides water services, signalling a broader push to make water management more efficient while improving convenience for consumers.
New Ziana
