By MILDRED KATONGO
THE National Water Supply and Sanitation Council (NWASCO) has granted applications of no objection to implement approved water tariffs for 2018 to five water utility companies.
NWASCO communication and public relations manager Mpunga Simukwai said the granted applications were for Chambeshi, Luapula, Lukanga, Mulonga and Western water and sewerage companies.
Ms Simukwai said in  response to a Press query that four other water utilities, which included Kafubu, Nkana, Lusaka and North-Western were not granted due to failure to meet their respective tariff conditions.
She, however, said Chambeshi, Luapula and Western water companies, despite not meeting the tariff conditions, were granted tariff adjustments under a recovery programme to improve their financial viability.
“NWASCO has approved the tariff hike to five water utility companies while it has rejected four for failure to meet their respective tariff conditions,” she said.
Ms Simukwai also said that NWASCO approved the tariff hike for the period 2018 to 2020 after they managed to meet the tariff conditions last year in December.
She also said that North Western Water and Sewerage company which was placed on special regulatory supervision for six months was complying with the terms and conditions.
Ms Simukwai noted that the water company had among other measures commenced  an increasing number of connections and undertaking a database clean.
She said the measures were underway and that NWASCO would review the special regulatory supervision of the water utility company in April.
“North Western Water Company signed the special regulatory supervision agreement and are complying with the terms of the agreement. For example the commercial utility was requested to engage an IT systems auditor. They have since embarked on the process of procuring one. They have also commenced an increasing number of connections and undertaking a database clean. All these are underway,” she said.