Windhoek faces 10% water increase

WINDHOEK residents should again brace themselves for a 10% increase in water tariffs.

This comes after Cabinet has approved bulk water tariffs submitted by NamWater for the financial year 2016/17, which came into effect last month.

In March already, Cabinet gave NamWater the right to increase the bulk water tariffs within a month.

For now, it is only water which will increase.

Although the increase has been postponed during the council meeting which was held last weekend, the item will be discussed again at the council meeting end of this month.

Windhoek deputy mayor Fransina Kahungu said during the council meeting that they are informing residents of the imminent bulk water price hike to compensate for the NamWater increment.

She said it should be made clear once again that the municipality does not make any profit from the sale of water to residents.

“The increase is necessitated by the fact that we need to breakeven in order to be able to continue buying water from NamWater, and for infrastructure maintenance. The implementation date will be communicated to you,” Kahungu said.

According to council minutes in order to effect costrecovery, the City of Windhoek needs to institute an increase of 10%, equalling the increase by NamWater on the bulk supply to ensure a sustainable continuation of this service to its residents.

This means the city is increasing its water tariffs twice in a year after after it had also implemented a 10% increase on water tariffs in February this year, arguing that NamWater had raised their tariffs after the municipality declared theirs for 2015/2016.

The City of Windhoek has been charging N$13,86 per cubic metre for residential properties since July last year from N$ 12,60 when NamWater increased its charges to N$15,45 per cubic metre. The new tariffs which where effective from February, resulted in a N$1,59 per cubic metre or 11,47% increase.

Brakwater residents now pay N$20,44 per cubic metre, while clubs with sports fields in town which still use potable water pay N$17,77 per cubic metre, including VAT. The operational cost to produce irrigation water is N$5,00 per cubic metre.

Those using this water are paying N$3,86 per cubic metre, and the tariff has been revised upwards.

However, the item containing the new proposed 10% water hike was deferred back to the management committee during the council meeting held at the Khomas regional offices last week.

The municipality’s corporate communications manager Joshua Amukugo told The Namibian yesterday that they could not effect the new tariffs, pending consultations with members of the public.

Amukugo said the failure to implement the new tariffs will, however, cost the city, which is already struggling with funds, close to N$3 million.

“This is because NamWater implemented theirs already after Cabinet approval, effective from 1 May 2016. The municipality was supposed to backdate it as from the 15th of this month,” he explained.

Amukugo said the municipality will now have to wait for their new financial year, which starts next month.

Meanwhile, Windhoek residents have also expressed concern over the exorbitant water tariffs the city is charging them, especially by estimating water usage.

Some residents said they have started saving water as per the municipal appeal but their bills have instead increased – in some cases by 400%. When they complain the city would halve the amount without any proper explanation.

Municipality spokesperson Lydia Amutenya said she cannot give a onesizefitsall answer as it will not be fair to do so.

“I advise residents to come individually because each account has its own issues. I cannot generalise, but people should instead take it up with the city,” Amutenya said.

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