More than 13,526 prepaid water meters installed for customers in three regions

Dar es Salaam. Over 13,526 prepaid meters have been installed for water clients in the Dodoma, Iringa and Tanga regions, with Water minister Jumaa Aweso saying the equipment was the ministry’s priority for the 2024/25 financial year.

Tabling the ministry’s 2024/25 budget in Parliament, Mr Aweso said using prepaid meters will increase the functionality of water use and prevent leakages that lead to huge losses to clients.

“Prepaid meters will ease citizens’ access to water services and enable clients to enjoy services based on their financial capabilities,” he said.

Reacting to MPs’ concerns over unpaid water bills amounting to billions of shillings, Deputy Minister for Water Kundo Mathew said installing prepaid meters among security organs and government institutions was among the ministry’s priorities.

“This is a directive from President Samia Suluhu Hassan; hence, it is not negotiable,” he said.

Furthermore, he said that once installed, prepaid meters will address several challenges, including water losses, allegations of inflated bills, unpaid water bills, and citizens’ complaints about lack of participation in the meter reading exercise.

He said prepared meters will also enable water utilities to make better use of their human resources.

However, WaterAid Tanzania country director Anna Mzinga said in 2018 the organisation partnered with EwaterPay Company for the installation of prepaid meters in Sangara Village, Manyara Region, benefiting 2,000 people.

“A similar project was implemented in a five-village water project in Arusha benefiting 23,000 people. Clients use mobile money to activate special tokens that are used for fetching water,” she said, noting that a bucket of 20 litres can be purchased for Sh30.

She said payments are made to the Community-Based Water Supply Organisation (CBWSO), noting that improved innovative services have been replicated in other projects such as the Kwamaizi dam project in Itigi, Singida Region.

“We commend the government for adopting this innovation. As an organisation, we believe in innovation, and it is among the best approaches to delivering and implementing our projects,” she said.

She pledged that her organisation will continue complementing the government’s initiatives by designing innovative technologies for future positive outcomes in accessing clean and safe water services, therefore lifting off a bucket from the Tanzanian woman.

She said in the organisation’s five-year country programme, the focus would be placed on the strategic transformation of water services in Hanang District, Manyara Region.