Water bills are set to increase in five counties as the Water Services Regulatory Board (WASREB) rolls out new tariffs for households and businesses in Kirinyaga, Mandera, Kiambu, Homa Bay and Nyeri.

🇰🇪 Breaking It Down

From a gazette notice dated September 11, WASREB says the adjustments will run for the 2026/2027 to 2028/2029 financial years, giving utilities room to plan ahead.

In Kirinyaga County, the Kirinyaga County Water and Sanitation PLC (KICOWASCO) customers using between one and six cubic metres monthly will now pay Ksh80 per unit, rising to Ksh145 for amounts above 300 cubic metres.

“Having considered the application, the written and oral submissions by all stakeholders and the current data, WASREB has determined that an upward tariff review is justified for KICOWASCO to improve service delivery, operate sustainably and protect consumer interests by meeting the tariff conditions attached to the tariff,” stated the notice in part.

📌 What You Need to Know

Mandera's Takaba Water and Sewerage Company Limited (TAWASCO) has the steepest domestic charges, starting at Ksh180 and climbing to Ksh312 for heavy consumers, though the county still tops up the utility yearly.

Residents of Kiambu Water and Sewerage Company (KIAWASCO) will pay Ksh 91 for their first 6 cubic metres, with the rate increasing gradually to Ksh 160 once usage exceeds 300 cubic metres. In Homa Bay County, customers of the Homa Bay County Water and Sanitation Company (HOMAWASCO) face a smaller but still notable price increase, with WASREB approving a 4.46 per cent price adjustment for the 2026/2027 billing year.

Nyeri's Tetu Aberdare Water and Sanitation Company (TEAWASCO) gets a slightly smaller bump, with the regulator approving a 4.37 per cent increase following an assessment of the utility's performance. WASREB explains that these adjustments follow applications by each utility, insisting the reviews are meant to help the utilities improve service delivery, operate sustainably and protect consumer interests going forward.

Beyond water bills, sewerage charges will also rise for most counties, typically pegged at 75 per cent of a customer's metered water consumption.

Utilities failing to comply with the new tariffs risk penalties under the Water Act and Public Finance Management Act, including suspension or cancellation of licences.

The new charges take effect a month after the notices; customers in all five counties should brace for the change on upcoming bills. These new charges come just days after  WASREB approved new water tariffs for Kisii, Eldoret,  Narok, and Tharaka-Nithi County on August 17. The revised rates saw Kisii, Narok, and Tharaka Nithi Counties experience a surge, while Eldoret residents benefited from reduced charges following a Water Tribunal ruling.

📰 Source: Kenyans.co.ke