African Journal of Water Conservation and Sustainability

African Journal of Water Conservation and Sustainability ISSN 2375-0936 Vol. 14 (6), pp. 001-014, June, 2026. Available online at www.internationalscholarsjournals.org © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Sustainability of Urban Water Service Delivery: Integrating Policy, Partnerships, and Smart Water Metering in Dodoma City, Tanzania

Ansgar Thomas Kabutelana^{1, 2}, *, Edmund Mutayoba¹, Christopher Nditi¹

¹Department of Water Supply and Sanitation Engineering, Water Institute, P.O.BOX 35059, Dar es Salaam
²Dodoma Urban Water Supply and Sanitation Authority (DUWASA); P.O. Box 431, Dodoma, Tanzania.

Accepted 10 June, 2026

Abstract

This paper presents a GIS-based engineering assessment of the association between smart water metering, Non-Revenue Water (NRW), and Revenue Collection Efficiency (RCE) in Dodoma City, Tanzania. The analysis combined utility-level time-series data for 2021–2025, GIS-based spatial analysis of ward-level prepaid meter distribution, and household-level econometric analysis involving 384 respondents. Results showed that smart meter coverage increased from 16.9% in 2021 to 26.8% in 2023 before declining to 10.1% in 2025. NRW showed a strong negative association with smart meter coverage for 2021–2024 (r = −0.72), while RCE showed a moderate positive association (r = +0.58). Spatial analysis indicated uneven meter deployment across wards, with smart meter density positively associated with connection rates (r = +0.62), billing accuracy (r = +0.38), and user satisfaction (r = +0.35), and negatively associated with reported NRW experience (r = −0.41). Logistic regression showed that households using prepaid meters had lower odds of reporting water-loss experience than conventional meter users (OR = 0.71, p = 0.042). The findings suggest that smart water metering is associated with improved technical and financial performance indicators, although these relationships remain correlational and are influenced by spatial inequality, operational continuity, and system-level management factors. The study highlights the need for equitable deployment, sustained maintenance, and stronger data-driven utility management.

Keywords: Smart water metering; non-revenue water; GIS modelling; revenue collection efficiency; spatial equity