Revamp of water charges urged

THE Namibian Consumer Lobby (NCL) has urged local authorities countrywide to do away with “basic charges” on water tariffs, saying they place an extra financial burden on consumers.

The call follows widespread unhappiness throughout Namibia over escalating water prices. Speaking to The Namibian ahead of World Consumer Rights Day today, NCL Director Bob Ziekenoppasser said water was not that expensive in Namibia but that the way it was charged made it unaffordable to the majority of consumers.The theme of this year’s World Consumer Rights Day is: ‘Clean, Safe Water and Proper Sanitation’.”Consumption prices [of water] are not that expensive, I think the killer is consumption plus the basic charges which make water bills expensive,” he said.Ziekenoppasser urged municipalities to stop using basic charges and to rather increase water tariffs accordingly.”This will solve relentless problems of people complaining about high water prices as they will pay for exactly what they consumed,” he said.According to him, Namibia had reached a stage where not only the “have-nots” were complaining about the prices of water.He said the “haves” were also feeling the burden because in some instances basic charges exceeded consumption charges.Ziekenoppasser said his organisation, assisted by Consumer International, was drafting the Namibia Consumer Protection Bill which which will be brought before parliament later this year.He said consumers in Namibia were not sufficiently protected as there was no single statute in the country dealing exclusively with matters related to consumer protection.”Our patterns of trading are changing rapidly hence the need to change laws protecting consumers accordingly,” Ziekenoppasser noted.He said although his organisation had operated in Namibia for more than a decade, most Namibian consumers were still unaware of their rights.Speaking to The Namibian ahead of World Consumer Rights Day today, NCL Director Bob Ziekenoppasser said water was not that expensive in Namibia but that the way it was charged made it unaffordable to the majority of consumers.The theme of this year’s World Consumer Rights Day is: ‘Clean, Safe Water and Proper Sanitation’.”Consumption prices [of water] are not that expensive, I think the killer is consumption plus the basic charges which make water bills expensive,” he said.Ziekenoppasser urged municipalities to stop using basic charges and to rather increase water tariffs accordingly.”This will solve relentless problems of people complaining about high water prices as they will pay for exactly what they consumed,” he said.According to him, Namibia had reached a stage where not only the “have-nots” were complaining about the prices of water.He said the “haves” were also feeling the burden because in some instances basic charges exceeded consumption charges.Ziekenoppasser said his organisation, assisted by Consumer International, was drafting the Namibia Consumer Protection Bill which which will be brought before parliament later this year.He said consumers in Namibia were not sufficiently protected as there was no single statute in the country dealing exclusively with matters related to consumer protection.”Our patterns of trading are changing rapidly hence the need to change laws protecting consumers accordingly,” Ziekenoppasser noted.He said although his organisation had operated in Namibia for more than a decade, most Namibian consumers were still unaware of their rights.