The Water Service Regulator has given Nairobi residents a period of one month to submit their views on the proposed high water prices.
This is after the Nairobi City Water and Sewerage Company (NCWSC) proposed that the water bills for both domestic and commercial purposes be increased by up to about 40% in a fresh tariff review. The reviews are conducted every three years.
NCWSC sought the regulators approval to increase the consumer prices from 20.44%-49.57% depending on monthly consumption.
The sewerage company seeks to have water prices hiked so as to “recover costs, pay loans and upgrade infrastructure.”
“NCWSC proposes an upward tariff review to enable the utility water to operate at full cost recovery and meet conditions necessary for improving service delivery,” WASREB director for licensing, standards and advocacy Peter Nyagah said in a gazette notice.
NCWSC defended its move to increase the tariffs “arguing it will help offset nearly Sh10.38 billion average annual operation costs.”
According to the company, its annual average cost for operation and maintenance is about Sh8.86 billion, Investment costs is Sh616.31 million while the cost of or servicing its debts from French Development Agency, the World Bank and African Development Bank is estimated to be Sh900.33 million.
Meanwhile, NCWSC has listed a number of areas in Nairobi that will experience water shortage from Thursday 6 am.
In a statement, NCWSC managing director Nahashon Muguna said that the shortages are as a result of the partial shutdown of the Ngethu water treatment plant for maintenance operations.
The parts that will be affected include; the whole of City Center, parts of Mombasa Road, UoN main campus, Coca cola factory, JKIA, the whole of Industrial area, EPZ-Athi River, Juja, Outerring road, Juja, Thika Road and Limuru road.
Other areas that will experience the shortage are Naivasha Road, Kikuyu Road, Westlands, Kileleshwa, Kilimani among others.
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