Maravi

Mpika residents reject new water tariffs

Mpika residents reject new water tariffs
By Ernest Mwape in Mpika
Wed 12 Jan. 2011, 04:00 CAT

WATER consumers in Mpika have rejected the newly hiked water tariffs by the Chambeshi Water and Sewerage Company because of poor service delivery.

The newly-increased fixed tariffs effective this month are between 20 and 29 per cent, with houses in the low-cost category pegged at K39, 000 from K32,500 and medium cost at K68,640 from K57,200 exclusive of K5,000 kwacha service charge.

Other tariffs are high-cost - K101,400 from K84,500 and communal - K140,000 from K117,000. Tariffs for commercial and small institutions are pegged at K220,000 from K171,100, medium at K348,000 from K285,000 and large K696,000 from K570,000.

But some consumers vowed not to pay January bills based on the new tariffs because they were too high and did not correspond with services being provided by the water utility company,
The irate consumers said it would be foolish of them to accept the new tariffs when water supply was irregular in all residential areas.

Some consumers, who have since started collecting signatures from residents, disclosed that they would in the next few days petition area district commissioner Sokoni Malama because the increase was unjustified.

They explained that ever since Chambeshi took over the running of water works from the local authority in the area, the water company had never installed any new equipment other than uprooting the pipes it found, particularly in TAZARA township, to warrant water tariff adjustments.

Reverend Ambrose Haguyu of the Pentecostal Holiness Church said that water consumers always remained numb each time there was increase in tariffs, a situation he described as unhealthy.

Rev Haguyu urged consumers to join forces in the fight against the unfair treatment by the water firm, which he said had no regard for them.

And Cyprian Mulenga expressed disappointment at the manner in which the Ministry of Local Government and Housing was nursing water utility companies in the country.

Catherine Chinshe said she could not understand why water bills were much higher than electricity in the district.

At a meeting held last Sunday at Kabale Basic School to discuss the water increase, members of the TAZARA residence concerned committee resolved to reject the introduction of tariffs until the water utility firm improved the water situation in the district.

The meeting, which was chaired by interim chairman Thedius Bwalya, agreed that Chambeshi should install meters and do away with fixed charges as they were being abused.

Labels: MPIKA, TAZARA, WATER

posted by MrK @ 8:37 AM