Five water boards under the Water Services Association of Malawi (Wasama) have said they are still waiting for approval from the government on their 44 percent water tariff hike proposal.
The application was made in November last year apparently to meet rising operational costs, which they say arose due to the 44 percent devaluation of the Kwacha.
But Consumers Association of Malawi Executive Director John Kapito maintains the tariff hikes alone will not solve the financial problems in the institutions.
Their November 2023 proposal came at a time when the boards had already raised water tariffs in June the same year by an average of 50 percent.
Speaking in an interview on Wednesday, Wasama president Francis Munthali said operational costs have now become tough to manage, adding they are hopeful that the government will respond in their favour.
Munthali, who is also the Chief Executive Officer of the Northern Region Water Board (NRWB), said they expect the government to complete the vetting process soon.
“We are still in discussions with the government. As a country, we are grappling with issues of inflation and, as boards, we are not spared.
“In fact, we needed these water tariff adjustments yesterday, but the government is also considerate of its people. So, we are still discussing and very shortly, we should receive the final approvals from the government,” he said.
Water and Sanitation Minister Abida Mia acknowledged the ongoing discussions in an interview Thursday but requested more time to make further comments on the matter.
In a separate interview Thursday, Kapito argued the high operating costs that the boards are complaining about cannot be addressed solely by increasing water tariffs, suggesting addressing internal challenges within the institutions.
He said issues such as resource abuse and water leakages, which he said cost water boards billions of Kwacha.
“When it comes to water, food and other basic items, the government has to take a central position and understand the challenges that consumers are currently facing.
“The reality is that water boards are generating revenue, but there is a lot of abuse that needs to be taken seriously. I don’t think this can be resolved just by raising water tariffs,” he said.
In April this year, the government approved new water tariffs for Blantyre Water Board (BWB) and indicated that it was considering applications from the other boards.
Wasama members are Lilongwe Water Board, Central Region Water Board, BWB, NRWB and Southern Region Water Board.
