Garissa County Assembly has been urged to fast-track the water bill that is meant to improve service delivery and curb illegal water connections.
Garissa Deputy Governor Abdi Dagane said the bill that is being drafted by the executive will be ready within the two months.
Mr. Dagane said for years residents in Garissa have been suffering due to lack of water and poor service delivery.
Speaking to the press after inspecting and officially opening renovated elevated water tanks in Bulla Quba, Mr. Dagane said the bill will go a long way in streamlining water management in the county.
He said the bill will regulate water usage in both rural and urban centres in the county adding that the bill will also address issues of illegal water connections, water billing and penalties for defaulters among others.
“For a long time, we had issues with the manner in which the water sector is run that has led to residents suffering from lack of water, thanks to gaps in the sector.”
“This is what we want to correct going forward. This is a crucial area that cannot be ignored given that water provision for citizens is a right and not a privilege,” he added.
Last month, Garissa Water and Sewerage Company (GAWASCO) said it was losing more than Sh25 million monthly through illegal water connections, corruption, and failure by some residents to pay for water bills among other challenges.