Seal water system leaks instead of raising bills

The push by the World Bank for new conservation levies and increased regulatory charges for water companies could not have come at a worse time for citizens reeling from the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic and overtaxation.

The multilateral lender wants the water service providers to fund 70 percent of the Water Resource Authority’s budget, up from the current 30 percent.

That would mean that water service providers will pay more to the WRA and pass the additional costs to homes and businesses for piped water and sewerage.

The World Bank says the additional costs are necessary to meet the costs of conservation for water catchment areas.

This would be a painful blow especially to households coming at a time when the cost of living has risen to unprecedented levels following increases in fuel, gas and cooking oil prices amid job losses and pay cuts.

Kenya, as is the rest of the world, faces not only the Covid-19 challenge but also climate change. The impact from the latter threatens to cause high water stress in the country in the not so far future void interventions. Rivers are vital in the provision of clean water, health, tourism and agricultural sectors. Human activities, including pollution and deforestation, are also a threat.

But the onus of conservation does not lie on the WRA alone. In fact, Kenya has many laws and regulations to safeguard wetlands and other water catchment areas but which aren’t being enforced properly as various State agencies work independently in managing the natural resources.

First, the government needs to harmonise these laws to foster enforcement in the protection of the water catchment areas. This includes pooling of funds for implementation of conservation plans.

Second, we ought to adopt water technologies to enable efficient supply systems and plug leakages.

Granted, the WRA needs to cut dependence on the Treasury. But overburdening citizens is clearly not the only solution.