The Murang’a county government has rejected plans by three water companies to hike their tariffs amid complaints by residents.
The county government, in a letter to Water Services Regulatory Board (Wasreb), has said the three water companies should first focus on reducing their non-revenue water to the national level of 25 per cent before considering the hike.
The three water firms—Murang’a West, Gatamathi and Gatanga—record non-revenue water of 59 per cent, 59 per cent and 37 per cent consecutively.
On April 2, Wasreb wrote to Governor Irungu Kang’ata informing him that it had approved the hiked tariffs proposed by the three companies.
“This tariff adjustment underwent the process of public participation and were fully endorsed by the residents,” the letter written by CEO Julius Itunga read in part.
Itunga said the water firms are required to have cost reflective tariffs which cover all their operations and maintenance, and part of investments.
Gatanga Water Company had proposed to have its tariffs raised from Sh33 per cubic metre to Sh120, Murang’a West wanted them raised to Sh90 per cubic metre while Gatamathi had proposed a hike to Sh60 for domestic users.
Gatamathi has a water coverage of 58 per cent, Gatanga 36 per cent and Murang’a West 63 per cent.
But Kang’ata noted that the increment would burden residents and that the companies should be incentivised to reduce their non-revenue water in order to run more efficiently.
He said the proposed tariffs were significantly higher compared to water firms in other counties and which are operating under similar circumstances and that enforcing them would encounter numerous challenges.
He cited Nyeri Water company in the neighbouring Nyeri county that has managed to reduce its non-revenue water to 20 per cent and charges Sh47 per cubic metre of water consumed.
The governor threatened to have the five water companies operating in the county consolidated into one should they continue running inefficiently.
“Following the advice of the regulator for the consolidation of these water firms, we have been hesitant in the spirit of decentralisation. However, the proposed tariffs can only push the county towards this direction.”
He however reiterated his commitment to continue supporting the sector saying the water department budget ceilings for development has been doubled.
The county, he added, intends to take up water development budget of various water companies with each ward expected to receive Sh5 million for last mile connectivity, giving the water firms no reason to hike tariffs.
