Kenyans to pay ten times more for water as new levies take effect

A section of water businessmen in Kiambu County are protesting the start of implementation of new water levies that they fear will heavily impact their cost of doing business.

The Water Resources Authority last month announced the implementation of new levies that have risen from 50 cents to Ksh.5 for every 1,000 litres sold to consumers.

In August 2021, the Ministry of Water published new regulations for the water sector that among other things sought to increase water levies on water businesses.

Part of that was to charge Ksh.5 for every one thousand litres distributed for domestic, public and livestock purposes up from 50 cents per 1,000 litres.

The levies were to also rise on water used for irrigation, fish farming, commercial or industrial use among others.

The regulations were never implemented until the first of February this year, this Wednesday.

The Water Resources Authority made the communication detailing several other charges for various permits.

A group of water investors in Kiambu County have protested the new rates saying they will hurt the water business.

George Ngotho, the Organizing Secretary of the Kiambu Community Water Projects Association, said: “Kama tulikuwa tunalipa kama elfu kumi, na sasa imekuwa ni mara kumi, itabidi uwe ukilipa elfu mia moja. Hakuna kikundi ata moja ama kampuni ambayo inaweza pandishwa mara kumi na bado waendelee na kazi.”

“Ikiwa haitabadilishwa, tutangojea mvua tukunywe ile maji itatoka juu kule barabarani,” said Kiambu resident Mary Wanja Kinyanjui.

The representatives want Water Cabinet Secretary Alice Wahome to delay the implementation of the regulations to allow for deliberations.

Advocate Mwaura Mburu said: “Alice Wahome akae pamoja na vikundi za water projects wajadiliane kulingana na hii sheria; kama inaongezwa na shilingi moja, hiyo ni sawa, lakini mara kumi inakuwa ngumu sana kwa wananchi.”

This comes at a time the government is keen on investing in multibillion water projects with an initial target of 100 dams to be built in a public-private partnership arrangement, after which developers will be allowed to charge slightly higher rates to recover their investment.