Rwandans have started the new year with lower water and electricity prices that aim to improve living conditions as well as industrial competitiveness.
Last week, the new water and power prices came into force, leading to long lines across sales outlets in towns and trading centers due to technical glitches that came with the new billing.
The new water tariffs were approved last December by the country’s regulatory body Rwanda Utilities Regulatory Authority.
For now, the decrease in prices for water supply system applies for rural areas alone, while the revised tariffs for urban areas are expected mid 2017.
For water systems using gravity-water that is distributed without the need to pressure it with a pump, costs dropped by 20 percent to about 0.4 U.S. dollar per cubic meter, while for those using electricity pumping, the cost went down by 33 percent to slightly above 1 dollar per cubic meter.
The greatest reduction in price is on water systems using diesel, which dropped by almost 50 percent to 1.3 dollars per cubic meter.
The new prices promise to make water and power more affordable for ordinary Rwandans this year, when the country heads toward presidential election.
James Sano, CEO of Water and Sanitation Corporation Ltd (WASAC), says the price cuts would ensure affordability and sustainability of services.
Rwanda’s Prime Minister Anastase Murekezi told Parliament last year that the country was on course to achieve universal access to water by the end of 2017, citing the government’s planned investments in the water sector.
The government seeks to increase households’ access to clean water countrywide from 74.2 percent in 2010 to 100 percent in 2017.
The current access to water is 84.8 percent according to the latest Integrated Household Living Conditions Survey (EICV4).
In 2004, the government encouraged Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) for water management.
In this regard, the government is committed to training private water supply companies across the country to accelerate provision of reliable clean water in the countryside.
The trainees conduct prompt repairs for broken water pipes and pump water to people’s homes and neighborhoods to ensure reliable access.
There are currently about 40 licensed companies in water processing and provision across the country.
The prime minister promised that the government would invest heavily in building water processing plants in urban areas.
Regina Mukandamage, a resident of Gatsibo district, said the reduced water prices would increase access to potable water and assist residents in managing hygiene.
“This is good because water is life. If you use clean water you are guaranteed of good health,” she told Xinhua. “People will be able to save on water. I am happy with the new charges.”
Effective on January 1, the new electricity tariff for low-income households using no higher than 15 kilowatts per month is set at 0.1 dollar, down from 0.2 dollar.
In the industry services, the changes represent a decrease of 28 and 34 percent depending on industry category, according to Rwanda Utilities Regulatory Authority (RURA).
It is expected to improve Rwanda’s competitiveness particularly for investors in the industrial sector, according to Patrick Nyirishema, Director General of RURA.
Jean Bosco Mugiraneza, Rwanda Energy Group CEO, said the inconsistent power supply that had affected some districts due to the long distribution line has been addressed.
“That issue is now fixed, there is now power stability and we are saving power that was being lost…We are now at 208 megawatts [power supply] up from 190 megawatt previously,” he says. Enditem
Source: Xinhua/NewsGhana.com.gh
