Water tankers filling at the newly-built water-point in Juba. (Photo: Eye Radio).

Juba City Council has introduced new water prices ranging between 1500 and 2000 pounds amid the soaring inflation in the country.

That’s according to the council’s Director of Revenue, Alison Samuel Taligi.

Initially, water suppliers refilled their tanks from designated points at 3,000 pounds and resold them at 1000 pounds per drum.

Some Juba residents, especially those in the remote suburbs of the city told Eye Radio this morning that, they have been made to pay 4,000 pounds per drum.

According to the city residents, the water suppliers claim they raised the price due to the depreciation of the pound against the dollar.

Speaking on the Dawn Show this morning, the City Council Revenue Director said, the institution, stakeholders and the water tankers’ association agreed on 2000 pounds as the maximum price.

Mr. Taligi says this was reached during a meeting in Juba on Thursday, March 28, 2024.

“Yesterday [Thursday] our government sat with your association and agreed that the price of water in Juba City, one drum is 1500 SSP and outside Juba City is 2000 SSP, this is an agreement we did yesterday with drivers of water tanks,” said Taligi.

“We want to inform you about it, let people be informed that when you’re buying water tell the water tank driver that the price is like this according to the agreement of yesterday, the drum is 1500 SSP and their benefit is 30% in one trip, and it’s very enough for them,” he said.

The Juba authorities have ordered water distributors in the capital to withdraw the recent “unilateral” decision to increase water prices allegedly to adjust to the high rate of the dollar.

Taligi urges the citizens to report any water tank driver who violates the fixed prices.

“It has been agreed with your community that the price should be 1,500 SSP in Juba town. Who are you? Are you not a member of that Association? I would advise you that it’s better to punish them,” he said.

“I have my phone number and whatever car they find that doesn’t want to comply with the price, let them take the number of the stickers of the car. There is a sticker on any car placed on the two sides of the door, and there is a number there.

“It’s just enough. I can trace him in my computer in the office I can find who is he and then we see a Way Forward on how to get him.”