Government has silently approved a 10 percent upward adjustment of water tariff, a development that has irked low-income earners who say they were already struggling to buy water at the old price and that the new rates will force most of them to draw water from unprotected sources.
Last year, however, when the country's five water boards lobbied for an adjustment of water tariffs to ensure cost recovery in the production chain through the Water Services Association of Malawi (Wasama), Ministry of Water and Sanitation Principal Secretary Elias Chimulambe indicated that low-income earners would be spared.
Yesterday, he insisted that they have been spared the hike. However, an August 30 Malawi Government Gazette notice announcing the review shows no exceptions.
The notice shows an average of 10 percent water increase by the utilities; namely, Blantyre Water Board (BWB), Lilongwe Water Board (LWB), Northern Region Water Board (NRWB), Central Region Water Board (CRWB) and Southern Region Water Board (SRWB).
BWB has adjusted from 60 tambala to 66 tambala per litre for water supplied from communal water points or kiosks and from K1.59 to K1.75 per litre for every 5 000 litres for use.
NRWB, on the other hand, has increased the price of water from communal water points from about K630 to K691 per cubic metre and from K1 830 to K2 009 per cubic metre for domestic purposes while LWB has adjusted from K3 456 to K3 802 per cubic metre for domestic purposes, all representing about 10 percent increase.
However, LWB maintained tariffs for communal water points.
In separate interviews during spot-checks, some Blantyre residents in the low-income segment expressed worry that the water tariff adjustment will affect their access to potable water.
Ndirande Township resident Mayamiko Matola said: "Look, we are buying this 20-litre bucket at K60, which is already on the higher side. This forces us to use water from other water sources for other household chores."
Asiyatu Dzuwa, a resident of Makheta, echoed Matola's sentiments that the water tariff adjustment will worsen their access potable water.
But in an interview yesterday, Chimulambe said government has not approved price adjustment for water to communal water points.
He said: "There is no tariff movement for the low-income earners such as those that get water from kiosks. So we have maintained the same tariffs."
On his part, Consumers Association of Malawi (Cama) executive director John Kapito said his association will engage Chimulambe to find out why the water price adjustment has also affected low income earners.
He said: "He [Chinulambe] is a very understanding person, but maybe there is political pressure from somewhere. People shouldn't suffer like this as if water is imported from somewhere."
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Insiders yesterday acknowledged that some communal water points tariffs have on paper been adjusted upwards, but said they will not in practice be effected.
From November last year, the water boards have been pushing for a 44 percent hike in their tariffs purportedly to meet operational costs.
They have for long argued that the current tariff is below full cost recovery as they lose over K23 billion annually to unpaid bills incurred by government ministries, departments and agencies and K30 billion in non-revenue water.
Yesterday, Wasama president Francis Munthali, who is also NRWB chief executive officer, said he was not aware that Ministry of Water and Sanitation has gazetted new water tariffs.
Last year, the five water boards increased their tariffs by an average of 50 percent, with BWB getting the highest at 90 percent that was implemented in two phases of 40 and 50 percent.
This story first appeared in The Nation newspaper
