By Suleiman Mbatiah
Businessman, politician, and philanthropist Maina Wakabura has moved to address the persistent water shortage and inflated bills affecting residents of low-income estates in Nakuru Town East Constituency.
For months, residents have complained about receiving unexplained and unusually high water bills from the Nakuru Water and Sanitation Services Company Limited (NAWASSCO), sparking public outcry and protests.
On Wednesday, Maina convened a consultative meeting between NAWASSCO’s top management, field officers, and residents from Bondeni, Kivumbini, Flamingo, and other affected areas.
“I humbly request that you inspect all the water meters. The bills are unrealistic and meters could be recording airflow instead of actual water usage,” Maina said, promising to ensure the issue is resolved once and for all.
The NAWASSCO delegation, led by the company’s Commercial Manager, James Gathairu, said a technical team would be dispatched to investigate possible meter defects and leakages that might have caused the inflated bills.
“We operate on an open-door policy. We encourage residents to visit our offices whenever they have concerns about their bills or any other issue,” Gathairu said.
He clarified that all former municipal housing estates and other residential areas are billed under the same system, adding that there is no favoritism in water billing.
The manager also appealed to residents to allow meter readers and technicians access to their compounds to help resolve technical issues efficiently.
However, in an earlier interview, Water Services Regulatory Board (WASREB) CEO Richard Cheruiyot said the tariff changes were approved after reviewing NAWASSCO’s application for adjustment for the 2024/2025 to 2029/2030 period.
He said the cost of water had increased by 61 percent, from Sh59 to Sh95 per cubic meter under the lifeline block tariff for 1–6 units.