Pain at the tap as cost of water doubles for Nairobi residents

Nairobi residents should expect to pay more for water from the next month following the gazettement of new tariff charges that reflect an increase of between nine and 93 per cent.

Following the Kenya Gazette notice, the Nairobi City Water and Sewerage Company (NCWSC), which is wholly owned by the county government, has given residents a one-month notice before the tariff is effected.

Public primary and secondary schools will now pay Sh48 for every unit consumed below 600 cubic metres. This charge will rise to Sh55 per cubic metres above the first 600 units. (PHOTO: COURTESY)

Under the new tariff structure thousands of consumers, who earlier enjoyed subsidised rates under the old pricing structure, will now pay market rate. This group lumped together with low-income earners to enjoy the subsidy will now see their bills rise by 93 per cent.

Low-income earners who consume six cubic metres of water and below will still enjoy Government subsidy. However, their monthly bills will go up from the current Sh187.10 to a flat rate of Sh204, reflecting a nine per cent increment. However, consumers of 50 cubic metres a month will pay an additional Sh1,000 every month.

Under the new tariff, domestic and industrial consumers as well as Government institutions will now pay a flat rate of Sh204 if they consume six cubic metres or less. This is up from the Sh108 paid by consumers in this bracket.

Any consumption between seven units to 60 units will cost an additional Sh53 per unit. Consumption above 60 units will attract Sh64 per unit.

The revised tariff is set to affect over four million residents in Nairobi County and will also affect businesses and companies in the capital city and industrial area, which produce goods for domestic and export markets.

It is also set to push up the cost of living, coming at a time when inflation has started an upward rise.

The cost of living for the month of September rose slightly to stand at 5.97 per cent from 5.84 per cent in August on a marginal rise in food prices.

Public primary and secondary schools will now pay Sh48 for every unit consumed below 600 cubic metres. This charge will rise to Sh55 per cubic metres above the first 600 units and it will be Sh60 per cubic metres above 1,200 units.

Approval

The city company will sell a unit of water at Sh20 to manned water kiosks and bulk water consumers including residential flats, gated community of 20 households and above will be charged a flat rate of Sh53 for every unit. Prepaid meter customers will buy the same water at a shilling less.

Philip Gichuki, Nairobi Water’s managing director, said the company had received regulatory approval for the change in tariffs. He reckons the new water tariff structure will run from 2015 to 2018, adding that the last time the rates were reviewed was in 2009, which was currently in use. He said the changes will see the company’s revenue grow by 38 per cent to meet a number of ongoing projects designed to improve its service delivery.

Gichuki told The Standard in a telephone interview that the increases were necessary to enable the company meet its growing operations costs, notably transport, electricity, purchase chemical and product cots.

“The Water Services Regulatory Board under power granted by sections 47 and 73 of the Water Act 2002, has approved the regular tariff adjustment for the area served by the Nairobi City Water and Sewerage Company Limited,” the gazette notice, signed by Malaquen Milgo, the chief executive officer, Athi Water Services Board, the sector regulator, reads in part.

The notice says resale tariff will be displayed prominently next to the kiosks or dispenser for consumer awareness.

Sewerage is charged at 75 per cent of the water billed for all customers with a sewer connection.

“Disconnected water accounts shall be charged based on the average of the last three months’ sewer charges before the disconnection,” the notice reads.

Domestic customers with no water connection but connected to the sewerage system will be charged a flat rate of Sh200 per month, while government, schools, multi-dwelling units, gated communities and commercial and industrial customers will be charged 75 per cent of volume of water used as per the metered source of water.

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