Residents of Nairobi will further feel the pinch of the high cost of living as they will be forced to part with more to pay their water bills.
In a gazette notice, the Water Service Regulatory Board (WASREB) said the reason for the increase in water prices by the Nairobi City Water and Sewerage Company (NCWSC) is to fulfill its full potential to improve task delivery services.
“NCWSC proposes an upward tariff review to enable it to operate at full cost recovery and meet conditions necessary for improving service delivery,” said the director of licensing, standards, and advocacy at WASREB, Peter Nyagah.
The prices of water are set to spike by 20 per cent and 40 per cent for heavy water users which will result in an increase in manufacturers’ costs.
NCWSC had sought a higher tariff review to recover costs, pay loans and upgrade infrastructure.
This will result in a soaring cost of living for Kenyans who are already being bombarded on all sides by the price increment of many basic commodities such as maize, cooking oil, wheat, petrol, taxes, and cooking gas that have hit the roof.
Low-income earners and businesses will be hit the hardest when the proposals are put into action.
Nairobi’s population has doubled in the last 20 years but the water infrastructure has not improved a lot in relation to the booming population.
WASREB has given the residents of Nairobi a month to submit their views on the proposed higher consumer tariffs.