Kenya Power urged to lower electricity costs to water companies
Bomet Governor Hillary Barchok. He has called on Kenya Power Company to lower tariffs to water companies. PHOTO | FILE | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
Governor Hillary Barchok said water companies were not making profits
Water companies rely on county governments for funding.
The high cost of electricity has negatively impacted on efforts by water companies to provide services in the country’s 47 counties.
Bomet Governor Hillary Barchok has called on Kenya Power to lower tariffs to water companies.
LOW TARIFFS
“There is a serious need for the Kenya Power Company, the Ministry of Energy and Council of Governors to enter into an engagement with a view to having the energy tariffs (to) water companies lowered,” said Dr Barchok.
He added: “We need to relook at our priorities as a country and tweak it to reflect the change that we need in the socio-economic front. As it is, the tariffs for street lights have been lowered while water companies are being charged commercial rates.”
He said water is key driving engine of the economy as it cuts across all sectors.
“The water companies should also be encouraged to adopt the use of solar energy to power their treatment plants as a cost cutting measure,” said the governor.
MAKING LOSSES
Dr Barchok was speaking at Sierra Hotel in Bomet town on Friday during a meeting of Water Services Providers Association (WASPA) members across the country.
He noted that the companies were making profits and relied on county governments for funding.
“The water infrastructural roll out is capital intensive and keeps rising as population increases in almost a similar proportion with demand for the essential commodity,” said Dr Barchok.
The meeting was attended by WASPA Chief Executive Anthony Ambugu, national chairman Michael Mangeli, Bomet County Roads and Transport Executive Joseph Terer, Water Chief Officer David Koech and Bomet Water Company Acting Chief Executive Patrick Langat among others.
