NAIROBI, Kenya, September 24 – Towns across the country are set to experience hiked water prices in the new 2024-2025 water tariffs.
The new tariffs were released in a gazette notice this month by the CEO of Water Service Regulatory Boards, Richard Cheruiyot.
Domestic users, commercial users, water kiosks, and education institutions in cities including Kakamega, Kiambu, Thika, Kisumu, and Nyeri are set to experience catapulted water tariffs.
Domestic users in Kakamega will pay between Sh91 and Sh227 per M3, commercial users will pay between Sh136 and Sh238, while education institutions will pay between Sh68 and Sh170.
Kisumu Domestic users will pay between Sh143 and Sh176 per M3, commercial users will pay Sh126 and Sh176, while education institutions will pay between Sh66 and Sh121.
In Nyeri, domestic users will pay between Sh53 and Sh113. Commercial users will pay between Sh85 and Sh150, and education institutions will pay between Sh46 and Sh62.
In Thika, domestic users will pay between Sh55 and Sh106. Commercial users will pay between Sh86 and Sh106, and education institutions will pay between Sh67 and Sh84.
In Kiambu, domestic users will pay between Sh71 and Sh156. Commercial users will pay between Sh118 and Sh156, and education institutions will pay between Sh83 and Sh125.
“Pursuant to clause 1.3 of the schedule of tariff published vide Gazette Notice o.2188 of 2021, notice is given that all prices for services will be as follows for all meter readings to be taken from 2nd August 2024 to 30th June 2025,” the notice stated.
According to a report by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), Kenya faces a national water crisis with more than 16 million of the Kenyan population relying on untreated and unsafe water sources.
Rural families spend approximately $38 per month on water, while urban households with piped systems in cities like Nairobi spend only $4.46.
Experts have now attributed water poverty in urban areas to low supply, high demand, and poor water management planning.
According to Malesi Shivaji, CEO of Kenya Water and Civil Society Network (KEWASNET), the current water system infrastructure has greatly contributed to the water shortages in cities since it is incapable of serving the accelerating number of people in urban centres in the country.
