Company to raise cost of water

Malindi Water and Sewerage Company Limited (MAWASCO) in Kilifi County is set to increase its business tariffs. 

MAWASCO Director Gerald Mwambire yesterday said the firm is seeking to stabilise its running cost, which has drastically risen since 2012 when they last reviewed their tariffs.

He argues that the company has been paying electricity bill of Sh18 million monthly but has since risen to Sh33 million in the last five years while the water tariffs have not yet changed.

Their clients have also increased from 4,000 to 22,000 in the last five years.

Mr Mwambire said the increase was a result of company's service expansion to remote areas where the cost of business is much higher than the revenue collected hence operating on a loss for the sake of service delivery.

He added that the water firm has a huge loans of Sh1 billion from the World Bank and spends Sh2 every month to service sub counties like Magarini. This, he says,  has contributed the huge loss they are incurring.

Other factors resulting to the increase in cost are vandalism by residents who mainly steal the company's equipment like meter boxes and water pipes which are expensive to replace.

Despite the challenges, he says the firm has made progress in connecting over 65km with water.

"We are trying to make sure everybody has access to fresh water everywhere therefore I urge the County government to subsidize the cost of electricity just like they have done with the streetlights," said Mr Mwambire.