Harare’s water crisis is now an energy crisis.

Electricity now consumes 56% of the cost of producing water, a figure that has pushed Harare Water to the brink of financial collapse, a strategic report has revealed.

The finding, presented by consultant Engineer Kumbirai Kashangura during deliberations on the Harare Water Strategic Plan, has prompted Mayor Jacob Mafume to call for a radical shift from the national grid.

“Eng. Kashangura has shown us that the cost of power alone is 56% of what it costs us to produce water.

“That is unsustainable,” Mafume said.

The Mayor said the city can no longer treat power as an external ZESA problem but as the core driver of water shortages, high bills and constant breakdowns.

From Report to Rescue Plan

Mafume challenged management to stop producing “glossy documents for council” and deliver a bankable, implementable plan they will own in success and failure.

He said the diagnosis must now translate into three urgent interventions.

This will cover resuscitating Harare Power Station and bringing the redundant thermal station back to provide dedicated, cheaper power for water treatment and pumping.

The other project focuses on building a dedicated Solar Plant.

The plant will be ring-fenced for Harare Water to insulate Morton Jaffray and other critical infrastructure from tariff hikes and load-shedding.

Council also intends to negotiate a special social-service tariff for water and install dedicated power lines to stop competing with industry and households.

Mafume warned that without fixing power, all other interventions will fail.

“Without decisively dealing with power costs, interventions on chemicals, non-revenue water and sewer will remain undermined,” he said.

Shortages

Harare Water is already struggling with chemical shortages, 60% non-revenue water, and dilapidated infrastructure.

The 56% power cost revelation explains why water tariffs remain unaffordable yet the utility remains broke.