This archive report was first published on 24 August 2021.
Kenya's water consumers are facing a significant increase in their water bills following a deal between the government and the World Bank. The government has raised regulatory charges on water companies by ten times, with the new charges coming into effect immediately.
According to the new regulations, domestic users will be charged Sh. 5 per cubic metre, up from 50 cents previously. Livestock farming will also be charged Sh. 5 per cubic metre, while irrigation will attract a charge of Sh. 2 per cubic metre. Commercial use will be charged Sh. 6 per cubic metre for use over 300 cubic metres a day.
The regulations also require water companies to pay a five percent conservation levy on top of the water use charge. This means that Nairobi Water, which produces 500,000 cubic metres a day, will now be required to pay Sh. 2.5 million up from Sh. 250,000.
One of the executives at the Water Services Regulatory Board (WSRB) has expressed surprise at the new charges, saying that the government had erred in stamping the extra charges on homes. The executive questioned how water companies would be able to absorb the increased costs, citing the example of Nairobi Water.
