Tanga-Uwasa proposes hike in water charges
What you need to know:
The recommendations have been made by Tanga-Uwasa because it needs to raise Sh41.28 bilion so that its plans can be successful implemented.
Tanga. The Tanga Urban Water Supply and Sanitation Authority (Tanga-Uwasa) has officially presented its recommendations to the Energy and Water Utilities Regulatory Authority (Ewura) about raising water charges by 38.6 percent during the 2018/19 Financial Year and by 16.9 percent in the 2019/20 Financial Year.
The recommendations have been made by Tanga-Uwasa because it needs to raise Sh41.28 bilion so that its plans can be successful implemented.
This was explained on Thursday by Tanga-Uwasa Manager Fares Alen during a meeting of water stakeholders in the region. The meeting that was held under the procedure of the council of users of water and energy services (Ewura) was on requests for reviews about the price of water services.
He said the additional price would help the regional water authority to implement its priorities including making connections of clean and safe water to 2000 new customers every year, purchasing 50 vacuum tankers, working tools, renovating buildings, purchasing land for constructing dams and expanding services, purchasing transport vessels and improving information and communication technology.
“We recommend a rise in the price of clean and safe water from Sh28.92 to Sh40.00 per 20ltr bucket during the 2018/19 Financial Year and a Sh46.89 price rise during the 2019/20 Financial Year while that of sanitation services be raised from Sh400 to Sh568.00 during the 2018/19 Financial Year and a Sh626.00 price rise during the 2019/20 Financial Year,” said Alen.
Speaking after the presentation of the recommendations, water users in the region asked Tanga -Uwasa to first improve some of its services before raising prices like making water connections to new customers and strengthening a payment system by using a new technology.
Speaking after listening to various views, East Zone Ewura Manager Nyirabu Msila called upon the water users in the region to give Tanga-Uwasa an ample time of improving its services in some parts of the region so that it could present its recommendations on the water price increase.
