Tanga residents want water charges reduced

Tanga City center

Residents of Tanga City have appealed to the government to exempt importers of water treatment chemicals from paying tax to enable ordinary citizens afford the service.

They made the appeal yesterday by Joshua Mgeyekwa, a participant in a seminar for stakeholders using Tanga Urban and Water Sewerage Authority services.

Speaking during the seminar also attended by religious people, Mgeyekwa said that the Authority has to spend about 400m/- to treat the water, and 30m/- a month on electricity, explaining that the two cost items contributed to the high prices of water.

Contributing to the discussion, stakeholders advised the Authority to make a special request to the government so that importers of water treatment chemicals would be exempted from paying certain taxes in order to bring down prices and ultimately make the service affordable.

They also called on the Authority to come up with a quick solution to save the Sigi Water Dam which is threatened with silting.

John Hiza, said it was evident that increased human economic activity near the water source was threatening its survival.

“I think the Authority should come up with a strategy to ensure that the water body does not disappear. It has to be able to hold the same amount of water to ensure constant supply of water. We should not allow the amount of water to fall and cause woes like those faced by Dar es Salaam residents," said Hiza.

However, another resident identified by only the name of Martin wanted UWASA to consider supplying water to the residents of the nearby town of Muheza who have been facing acute shortage of the precious liquid.

For his part, Kilama Shaaban requested the Authority to discuss with customers who have been disconnected from the services so that they would repay their debts and get re-connected and continue enjoying the service.

Mgeyekwa said that the Authority has no financial ability to build an alternative source of water, but assured the them that Mabayani dam problem was being addressed.

The topics presented during the seminar included the services being provided by the Authority, running expenses, paying for the service, rights and responsibilities of both sides in the water contract.