Windhoek water tariffs likely to increase

25 Jan 2016 19:20pm
WINDHOEK, 25 JAN (NAMPA)  The City of Windhoek (COW) might increase the water tariff for households by 11.47 per cent, depending on whether the Citys council and management committee approve the proposed water tariff increase after reviewing it on Thursday.
The increase, which will come into effect immediately once approved, will see water tariffs go up by about N.dollars 1.59 per cubic metre.
One cubic metre is equivalent to one litre.
CoW Manager for Corporate Communications and Customer Care, Joshua Amukugo informed Nampa upon enquiry on Monday, the review of the rates was necessitated by the City's need to charge cost-recovering tariffs for water consumption.
He said the CoW currently pays NamWater N.dollars 15.45, while it charges households N.dollars 13.86 per cubic metre.
The increase would see the tariff increase to N.dollars 15.45 - the same amount the municipality pays NamWater.
Amukugo added that sport fields in the capital still using potable water can expect a hefty increase of about N.dollars 13.22.
Their current tariff per cubic metre is N.dollars 4.55, while the new rate will be about N.dollars 17.77 per cubic metre.
The reason behind this is that the City cannot pay NamWater for potable water at N.dollars 17.77 per cubic metre and allow sport clubs to pay a very low N.dollars 4.55 per cubic metre, he explained.
Operational costs to produce irrigation water are also set to increase.
Clients using this water source are paying N.dollars 3.86 per cubic metre. An adjustment to N.dollars 5 per cubic metre has been recommended for irrigation water.