Murang’a wants water supply cash

By BONIFACE GIKANDI

The Murang’a county assembly has passed a Motion seeking to amend the Water Act of 2002, which blocks the region from levying a fee for supplying water to Nairobi.

The Motion, which was sponsored by Peter Kirigwi, calls for the amendment of the current law on water supply. The law stipulates the resource is national, barring counties from getting any revenue for supplying the commodity to areas outside their jurisdiction.

In the contentious Act, the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources named water as a national resource, blocking the region and others from demanding a levy.

But Murang’a County now wants a share of the proceeds made by Nairobi Water and Sanitation Company, since most of the resource comes from the county. Last year, the water company made a profit of Sh200 million, from which Murang’a County is now demanding Sh25 million.

Nairobi Water Service Board manages the water reservoirs located in Gatanga Constituency, tapping water from Aberdare Range.

In the petition, Kirigwi, who represents Kinyona ward, noted residents of Murang’a have invested in environmental conservation.