NRWB reduces connection fee

Northern Region Water Board (NRWB) has reduced water connection fee by 50 percent following a grant of 1 400 connection materials from the World Bank.
NRWB spokesperson Edward Nyirenda told The Nation that the reduced fee is part of the institution’s New Water Connection Promotion to run up to June this year.

Nyirenda said the institution will subside connection costs by approximately K50 million (US$111 000) to connect 1 400 households at half the connection fee.
He said: “A normal connection is between K40 000 (US$89) and K70 000 (US$156) depending on distance covered. On a good day, we make K100 million (US$ 222 000) to connect 1 400 customers. This means we are almost subsiding over K50 million (US$111 000) to people.”
Nyirenda said the promotion will help disadvantaged families who have challenges in connecting to piped water.
“Some families, usually from high density areas, fail to pay connection fee at once. But we usually give them a chance to pay in instalments, and connect them when they complete paying. This promotion will be of value to them,” he said.
Said Nyirenda: “We are calling on our customers that are yet to be connected to our system because they didn’t have enough money, to get connected, this is the opportunity they were waiting for.”
Nyirenda said the promotion also wants to reduce dependency on water from unprotected sources.
Between 2009 and 2010, NRWB had a similar promotion where customers were connected after paying half of the fee while the other amount was included their bills.