The High Court has temporarily suspended water levies rolled out three months ago following an upward revision of the resource use charges by more than 500 percent.
Justice Mugure Thande put on hold the Water Resources Regulations 2021, pending the determination of a petition filed by four lobby groups and five persons, who argued that water is a necessity to sustain animal and plant life besides enabling human dignity that good sanitation entails.
Kenya Water and Sanitation Civil Society Network, Mount Kenya Ewaso Water Partnership, Likii Water Resources Users Association and Likiundu Water Resources Users Association, among others, challenged the legality of the water use charges, which came into force on March 1, 2023.
Based on the new levies, the charges rose from 50 cents to Sh5 per cubic metre of water distributed to consumers by the Water Resources Users Associations for domestic, public and livestock purposes
