THE Development Bank of Southern Africa is committed to funding Harare's water demand management projects at a cost of US$39 million, the bank's water and sanitation specialist Engineer Godfrey Mwiinga has said. If the projects are successfully implemented, the city will be able to get returns of up to US$55 million over two years.

The project involves the installation of prepaid water meters, clamp-on meters, cellphone meter reading, wastewater treatment and public awareness campaigns.

Wastewater treatment is expected to reduce the city's water treatment bill from the current US$2 million by half and also ensure that domestic water is readily available.

Harare is losing a lot of water through leakages as a result of old water reticulation system. It is also losing millions of litres of treated water through illegal connections, faulty meters and water thefts.

The water demand management project will address such issues and ensure that all the water pumped from the treatment plants is accounted for.

The city is collecting about US$5,6 million in water revenue every month instead of US$8 million.

As a result, council is owed up to US$76 million in unpaid water bills.

Eng Mwiinga made the remarks on the sidelines of a one day bankers' conference on water demand management bankable project in Harare on Wednesday.

"Being a regional bank we want to participate in the funding of water demand management. We would be happier if other banks join. We want all potential funders to come together," he said.

He said traditionally, emphasis has been on delivering new infrastructure while neglecting issues of water demand management.

Town clerk Dr Tendai Mahachi appealed for funding on the city's priority projects that assist in water demand management.

"Harare Water estimates that the city currently produces only 43 percent of its peak daily demand while water loses is estimated at 29 percent and non revenue water stands at 27 percent," he said.

Non revenue water is water that cannot be accounted for either because it is being stolen, illegally connected or the water meter is faulty.

DBSA funded the conference through a US$200 000 facility advanced last year to do a study on bankable water demand management projects.