The owners of donkey and horse-drawn carts that sell water door-to-door in El Fasher town, the capital of Sudan’s North Darfur State, on Sunday, voiced their discontent over the recent adjustments in and fixing of water prices by local authorities.
This issue follows widespread complaints from citizens regarding steep water prices.
On Saturday, the executive director of El Fasher locality, Ismail Omar Hassan, issued a local order setting the price at 3,000 Sudanese Pounds per barrel of water for carts and tankers.
The order includes penalties for violations, with a fine of 100,000 Sudanese Pounds for initial offenses, and for repeat violations, a fine of 200,000 Sudanese Pounds or one month in jail, or both penalties.
Ahmed Adam, a water vendor in El Fasher told Radio Tamazuj that they are dissatisfied with the new pricing. He highlighted the significant gap between the cost of a barrel of water at the source, priced at 1,000 Sudanese Pounds, and the newly set rate of 3,000 Sudanese pounds, saying it does not cover their daily expenses and the cost of feeding their animals.
Similarly, Salem Yagoub, another water vendor, criticized the new pricing by local authorities, asserting its inadequacy in meeting the needs of all water sellers, especially given the congestion and scarcity of water sources.
He emphasized the financial strain faced by water sellers, despite their efforts to sell four barrels of water daily, yielding a total income of 12,000 Sudanese Pounds, while the cost of feed amounts to 10,000 Sudanese pounds, leaving them operating at a loss.
Furthermore, it is important to note that the Municipal Water Administration recently announced an increase in the water tariff to 1,000 Sudanese Pounds per barrel, up from the previous rate of 500 Sudanese Pounds per barrel, as outlined in the budget for the fiscal year 2023-2024. This led to water vendors adjusting water prices in El Fasher accordingly.