By Brenda Nkosi
Minister of Agriculture, Irrigation, and Water Development Roza Mbilizi, has instructed the Blantyre Water Board (BWB) to freeze plans to raise water tariffs, urging the utility provider to focus on operational efficiency instead.
Speaking Monday during a visit to BWB offices, the Minister argued that the board has failed to remain accountable to its customers and that the Board is “unfairly” looking to consumers to offset the Board’s own financial mismanagement.
“We should not look for the easy way out by transferring this huge responsibility onto customers. Work on other areas that generate revenue-such as reducing non-revenue water, which currently stands at 44 percent, and collecting the K23 billion owed to the board. Only then can we discuss increasing prices for customers,” she said.The Minister issued a stern warning to BWB management, stating they must perform or resign, emphasizing that their primary mandate was to provide reliable, safe water.
“Why do you want it to be normal for residents to face frequent water supply disruptions? Why do you play with people’s lives?” Mbilizi asked, noting that it was “embarrassing” for the country to still be battling Cholera outbreaks due to poor water management.
She also questioned the Board’s expenditure, as they have operated at a loss for over five years without addressing the core drawbacks.
Representative of BWB board members, George Eneya, said BWB has already been instructed by the new board to improve on service delivery, reduce water wastage and improve debt collection.
“The Minister is right. It is unheard of to lose 44 percent of what is generated. We have already given management a six-month target to address these issues. We are also talking about ending the water supply disruptions in Blantyre,” he said.
