Water tankers filling at the newly-built water-point in Gudelle suburb, Juba (Photo Credit: Koang Pal Chang/Eye Radio)

JUBA, (Eye Radio) – Water Abstraction Company Association Group, a consortium working with the South Sudan Urban Water Corporation (SSUWC) has increased water prices by 50 percent, attributing the hike to high cost of production.

SSYWC Managing Director Yar Paul Kuol explained that the hike is largely driven by the rising cost of electricity and water purification chemicals, both of which are affected by the high exchange rate of the U.S. dollar.

The latest spike follows an increase in the official tariff for 30 drums (6,000 cubic meters of water) from 17,500 to 28,000 South Sudan Pounds on 16th March. Such a rise was attributed to the worsening economic situation, including hyperinflation and a rising exchange rate.

However, the Water Abstraction Company Association Group, which is responsible for pumping water from the Nile to the purification plant, announced that consumers in Juba will now face almost a double of initial price imposed by private companies distributing the water.

In a letter shared on Wednesday, the water abstraction association announced that a 30-drum tanker truck that used to sell at SSP28,000 is now SSP42,000.

Again, a tanker truck water capacity of 15 drums that initially sold at SSP13,000, is now SSP21,000, an increase of 8,000 SSP. The increment represents a 50% hike in less than two months.

SSUWC Director Ms. Kuol emphasized that continuing to sell water at the previous price would lead to operational losses and threaten the sustainability of the water supply system.

“The reason is the high price of electricity because when the price of the dollar rises, the price of electricity rises because we buy it in installments, in addition to the chemicals used to purify the water,” she said.

“With the high price of the dollar, we cannot sell water at the same price because that is considered a loss because if the price does not increase to cover expenses, we cannot manage the station.”

Reacting to the sharp water price increment, Edmond Yakani, Executive Director of Community Empowerment for Progress Organization (CEPO), called on the national government to intervene for the welfare of the citizens.

“We know that the sharp increase is due to the price of the electricity. And why should the electricity increase like that?  If it’s a question of access to hard currency by the people who are providing the electricity, there’s a need for the authorities to intervene,” Yakani said.

“My appeal is that the leadership in Juba City and Central Equatoria state and the national level, there’s a need to review this issue of the increase of water prices blamed on electricity, which normally the electricity will say because access to hard currency.”

“Why should the access to hard currency create an economical pattern to the common cities?”