A recent decision by authorities in East Darfur State to raise water tariffs has run into turbulence after residents protested the new tariffs.
East Darfur Water Supply Authority sharply increased the cost of drinking water based on a recent decision of the Council of Ministers of the East Darfur State Government.
On the first day of implementing the new tariff in East Darfur, the youth of Bahr al-Arab locality objected to the tariff and forced the authority’s administration to revert to the old tariffs at all water stations in the locality.
Activist Mohammed Aliyu Al-Doud told Radio Tamazuj Monday that the increase in water prices in the state was hurting majority of residents.
“We have been living in war conditions since April 15 last year, and salaries of all workers were stopped. The economic situation of some families reached a point they are unable to afford the price of a jerrycan of water. In conditions like these, the state government must provide water for free,” he said.
He further said they would not allow the new tariff to be applied in Bahr al-Arab locality and asked the youth in other localities to similarly reject the new tariffs.
On Monday, the governor-designate of East Darfur, Musa Suleiman, dismissed the director of water firm, Mukhtar Al-Senussi and appointed Abdullah Mohammed Ojalan as his replacement.
Water prices have shot up by 100 per cent from last year. A can of water sells between 30 to 60 Sudanese pounds while cows are allowed to drink at a cost of 50 to 120 pounds.
Sheep and goats access water at the cost of 30 to 60 pounds, horses and donkeys from 45 pounds to 100 pounds, and camels from 180 pounds to 400 pounds.
While a barrel of water with a capacity of 12 containers ranges from 500 pounds to 700 pounds, a water tank with a capacity of 3 barrels’ ranges from 2,500 pounds, the price of a cubic meter of 55 litre-container of water ranges from 1,750 pounds to 3,300 pounds, a water meter ranges from 6,300 to 42,600 thousand pounds, and connection fees to city networks range from 30,000 to 600 thousand pounds.
Radio Tamazuj tried to contact the new director to find out the justifications for the new tariffs but calls went unanswered.