Many city residents will be slapped with high water bills after the Nairobi City Water and Sewerage Company increased the cost of the commodity.
Already, some home owners have protested, saying their September bills were four times higher than normal.
The water firm, which is wholly owned by the Nairobi City County government, told the Nation that water consumers in the capital were aware of the new charges.
Managing Director Phillip Gichuki said under the new tariffs, low income consumers will be charged a flat rate of Sh200 if they use six cubic metres or less.
Those in the middle class who use between seven and 60 cubic metres will pay between Sh45 and Sh64 per cubic metre.
Mr Gichuki said this will help save water.
LEAKAGES
He said water leakages in homes are partly to blame for high bills.
“The people of Nairobi love to waste water. They shower with the water running and do not turn off taps.
“They also don’t care if the pipes are leaking. These bills will go a long way in the conserving water,” he said.
He defended the new meters recently installed, which have been blamed for a sharp increase in the readings, saying the gadgets meet international standards.
Mr Gichuki asked those complaining about the new meters to pay a fee of Sh100 for testing by the water company.
A resident who declined to be named told the Nation that her September bill was Sh27,000, up from about Sh1,000.
She asked the water firm to revise the bills which she said are ridiculously high.
“How will we survive if the cost of water and school fees are the same?” she asked.
©Alleastafrica and Daialy Nation
