Juba authorities have ordered water distributors in the capital to withdraw the recent “unilateral” decision to increase water prices allegedly to adjust to the rising cost of living.
The water tanker drivers on Friday May 26, 2023, imposed new prices for different capacities of water containers – angering Juba residents.
According to some Mauna locals, the water tankers raised price from SSP.1,000 to SSP.1,500 per drum.
The Nile water price was increased despite the Urban Water points refilling the tankers at the capacity of 25 drums at 3,000 pounds.
On Monday, the Urban Water Cooperation, Central Equatoria State Authorities, and Juba Municipal Council convened a meeting with the Water Drivers Association to resolve the matter.
According to the Managing Director of South Sudan Urban Water Corporation, the city authorities cancelled the new water price.
It ordered the water suppliers to revert to the old price until a final decision is reached in a month’s time.
Yar Paul said the agreement was reached with water tanker drivers in Juba Monday.
“This is what I would like to tell the citizen from tomorrow morning, for those who live close to the water filling stations, you must pay 800 pounds only for a barrel of water,” she said.
“If the water tanker drivers say 1,000, you complain to the police and say that the truck drivers are not implementing the government order.”
“For the remote area where is no water filling station the price is 1,000 not more than that. This price is not final. The committee will sit after a month to review the water prices.”
Reacting to the decision, the Water Tank Drivers’ Association Chairperson Merbrahtom Tesfizih said they accepted the order but asked for time to do the consultation.
He explains why the association had raised the water price.
“We have 1,000 drivers, I don’t know how to inform the drivers, and I cannot order them to sell water at this price. I do not have authority over them, so I ask you to give us some time to do the consultations,” Tesfizih said.
“This profession is difficult. To work as a driver, you must get up early and come back late. In any case, I will not violate the government’s decision and will implement the instructions. My problem is whether the drivers will agree to the decision.”
However, the Deputy Mayor of Juba City for Infrastructure Thiik Thiik Mayardit said the Council will take strict measures against water tanker drivers.
He warned violators of punitive measures.
“From tomorrow, you must not pay 1,000 as the price per barrel, but only 800 pounds. The decision is clear for the places near the water filling station the price is 800 while in Gurey and Jebel Dinka, Lemon Gaba and Gumbo Sherkat are 1000,” Thiik said.
“If anyone tries to ask for more than this tariff, they should contact me I told them at the meeting that I will give them two hours to implement the decision, and if anyone refuses, we will confiscate these disguises and give them to others.”
Thiik urged the public to report any water tank supplier violated the order.