The financial cost of non-revenue water in Mutare, Zimbabwe

Efficient municipal drinking water services management is fundamental to achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 6, 11 and 12. High non-revenue water (NRW) burdens water service providers; however, volume-based data fails to trigger NRW reduction action and investment. This study applied a financial impact quantification framework that combines standard NRW analysis by converting its components into financial/monetary losses and quantified the cost of inaction to build a compelling case for investment for infrastructure rehabilitation. The framework was applied for Mutare’s Natview and Raheen water supply subzones. Flow and pressure data were collected using flow and pressure loggers, while billing and water production data were collected from the city’s Finance and Engineering Departments, respectively. A unit water production cost (US$0.59/m³) was used to determine the financial losses of NRW and its components. The estimated annual financial loss from NRW for Natview was US$287 400, while that for Raheen was US$131 700. Real losses contributed the higher financial impact for both subzones, amounting to US$198 700 and US$77 800 for Natview and Raheen, respectively. A financial impact quantification framework should be adopted city-wide to guide the long-term, data-driven NRW reduction strategy and investment, as it is also in line with SDGs 6, 11 and 12.