Senators call for measures to stem water wastage
Senators have directed water company boards and accounting officers across the country to put in place comprehensive measures to mitigate non-revenue water losses.
Senate County Public Investments and Special Funds Committee chaired by Godfrey Osotsi (Vihiga) said this can be done through the application of Geographical Information System (GIS) for receiving real-time data in the detection of bursts and leakages.
In addition, the lawmakers told the boards of directors, to among other things, ensure installation of smart meters for accurate billing, replace dilapidated infrastructure and development of institutional anti-corruption policies and enforcement measures to prevent illegal connections.
While releasing audit reports of seven water companies across the country yesterday, Osotsi said the boards and their accounting officers should ensure proper record keeping, failure to which the committee shall invoke section 62 of the Public Audit Act, 2015.
“Board of directors for the various water companies in consultation with the Public Sector Accounting Standards Board should conduct continuous capacity building on financial reporting standards for finance officers in the water companies and the management, to improve the quality of reporting and enhance compliance,” said Osotsi.
Instead, the committee recommends that governors should engage the Inter-Governmental Relations Technical Committee (IGRTC) and relevant Regional Water Works Development Agencies to fast-track on the transfer of assets and liabilities so that they reflect a true position of the companies in their books of account.
“This committee recommends that governors with cross-cutting water companies to initiate an amicable process of dealing with the matter of ownership of water companies, as a long-term goal,” Osotsi noted.
