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{
    "id": 1347498,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1347498/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 370,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Oketch Gicheru",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "sheets, but on the other side, the servicing of vehicles, the equipment and every single infrastructure that are used for water provision in those counties are left to the water service providers. This is straining governors and the counties. You can imagine where we have serious delays like now, in exchequer releases where counties are trying to get money to be able to run different functions. Where there is serious delays in resources going to the counties, it becomes completely impossible for these water service providers to operate. Secondly, Clause Five of the Bill proposes the insertion of a new section 68A to the Act to provide for licencing of Water Works Development Agencies by the Water Services Regulatory Board (WASREB). We have been dealing with the issue of non- revenue water in the counties. This is one of the biggest issues. WASREB itself described that for commercial viability, at least every single water service provider in every single county should not have more than 25 per cent of total water that they get being non- revenue water. Madam Temporary Speaker, what has been happening in these respective counties is that all the water service providers are facing serious challenges with being able to control their non-revenue water. That means that the fundamental mandate of WASREB, which is ensuring commercial viability of water service providers in our respective counties, is completely defeated because they have a good idea prescribed to a wrong disease. This disease--- Madam Temporary Speaker, I seek your indulgence regarding the time because I got in when it was 6.14 p.m. and I see my time --- I think I still have a lot of time, but you will guide when the right time comes. I was saying that when you try to dissect the consecutive factors of non-revenue water that makes it completely financially viable, then you will realize that WASREB has completely failed in this mandate not only of licencing, but also being able to ensure that there is commercial viability of these entities. For instance, if you look at physical losses that comprise non-revenue water, those physical losses are not caused by mere recklessness of counties, but serious development activities that are going on in those counties. For instance, you find that pipes providing water in different areas in those counties, like right now Migori County has got many roads being done, both paved and unpaved road. Sometimes, they end up passing in areas where there are pipes that had been constructed before. This has nothing to do with the commercial viability angle by counties. It has something to do with development that is going on in counties, that makes it difficult for people to physically plan well and avoid destruction of those pipes. Madam Temporary Speaker, in other areas, these physical losses are due to dilapidated pipes. Some pipes are old while some have metering issues. The meters are old to the extent where the response is not a simple equation of just investment and attracting private partners to these companies. It is just an issue of investing in infrastructure that is updated and modern. That can accommodate the kind of volumes that counties are doing. It has nothing to do with WASREB."
}