• Residents whose water bills were Sh350 on average are getting Sh3,500 invoices from the Lamu Water and Sewerage Company.
• They have also complained that the company cuts supply as soon as default is suspected.
Lamu residents are up in arms over water bills 10 times more than usual when an acute shortage of the commodity is common.
Residents whose water bills were Sh350 on average are getting Sh3,500 invoices from the Lamu Water and Sewerage Company.
They have also complained that the company cuts supply as soon as default is suspected.
Through the Lamu Community Welfare Monitoring Group, the residents have threatened to stage demonstrations if the situation persists.
Group chairperson Ishaq Khatib said water bills had skyrocketed despite the scarcity.
“A household that pays a monthly water bill of Sh350 for instance has been asked to pay Sh3,500. We wish to understand how that can be. Coming from a body that has failed to ensure there is steady water supply in the first place, we find that very suspicious,” Khatib said.
He said they plan to call on the community to boycott Lawasco services if the company fails to explain the cause of their water woes.
Mohamed Yusuf said his house had no water for the whole of April but he has received a bill of Sh4,000.
“The much I have paid was Sh400 monthly and the supply was consistent. Now there was no supply the entire month of April yet am supposed to pay Sh4,000? Someone make me understand. This is simply robbery,” Yusuf said.
Last week, residents complained that the water shortage had made their Ramadan fast difficult.
Lawasco managing director Kimani Wainaina blamed the situation on inconsistent payment of the water bills.
He said in such a situation, the company has no option but to cut off supply to the defaulters.
“We have cases where people accumulate bills of up to five months and once they are issued with an accumulative bill, they act shocked,” Wainaina said.
(edited by o. owino)