A section of Eldoret City residents is planning to initiate a petition process that if successful would see a decision to hike water tariffs rescinded.
The Eldoret Water and Sanitation Company (ELDOWAS) recently increased water and sewerage tariffs, a move that has seen water bills skyrocket.
While the move was approved by the Water Services Regulatory Board (WASREB), some of the residents have questioned the process that culminated in the new tariffs.
Kipkorir Menjo, the Eldoret City Residents Association chairperson claims no proper public participation was conducted by the company.
Menjo has since convened a meeting on Wednesday, November 13, 2024, to formally initiate a petition signing process over the matter.
“ELDOWAS rushed the water tariff adjustment and without proper public participation with consumers,” he said in a post on his official Facebook page.
“I recalled some of those who attended the meeting early in the year saying that Eldoret was going to be elevated into a city status and the water must be raised!” he added.
According to Menjo, there is no justification for ELDOWAS to increase water tariffs.
He argues that the company spends too little in supplying the water to its customers within the Eldoret City.
“Chebara Dam is the main source of water to Eldoret through force of gravity, how can the tariff be increased by 300%? WASREB must also answer some hard questions regarding this adjustments!” he noted.
In the new tariffs that took effect on November 1, 2024, for domestic or residential consumers, the revised charges start at KSh 130 per cubic meter (M³) for consumption between 1-6 cubic meters and KSh 160 per M³ for usage above 300 cubic meters.
Read more: ELDOWAS Announces Tariff Adjustments Effective November 2024
