Nairobians are set to start paying their water bills according to their usage as Nairobi Water and sewerage company has been compelled to introduce digital metres.
This is after the Nairobi Members of County Assembly (MCAs) unanimously passed a motion compelling the county government to make the reforms that will see city residents pay for water according to their usage level.
The motion was laid by Clay City MCA Samora Mwaura, seeking to tame water cartels that have taken control of the city’s water piping systems.
Further, the MCAs say the move will help the county save a lot of water spent on theft and wastage.
“The digital meters mean that if Nairobi water has supplied me with water, I will be able to pay; if not, I won’t,” Mwaura said.
The MCA says the technology is friendly to the consumer as one will only need to pay for what they have consumed.
Additionally, he said the county losses an estimated 40 per cent of its water resource through illegal tapping and vandalism of its infrastructure currently.
On her part, nominated MCA Joyce Muthoni said every Kenyan has a right to access clean, affordable and sufficient water.
She has asked the Nairobi Water Supply and Sewerage Company to move quickly to implement the motion, which is friendly to common citizens.
According to the Nairobi city integrated development plan, the water company must provide water to a population of 5.9 million.
