Ghana Water Company rejects PURC’s decision on water tariffs

Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) says its management is quickly going to engage the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC) over the latter’s recent decision not to pass on tariff review of the last quarter to the Company.

It says PURC’s reason over the decision is not plausible enough.

Speaking on TV3’s Midday Live on Wednesday, a day after the Commission made known its decision, Public Relations Manager of the Company Michael Agyemang said the reason goes beyond what the PURC put out there.

“I am aware there is a misunderstanding over the Consumer Charter,” Mr Agyemang disclosed.

He said GWCL has not been able to set up the Charter, unlike the Electricity Company of Ghana, as a result of the merger issues.

“That is what they are using to deny us the increase,” he minced no words to TV3’s Wendy Laryea on Wednesday.

The PURC on Tuesday, September 30 announced a 4.54 per cent increase in water tariffs but decided to stay execution of the review “until such a time that certain regulatory requirements that protect consumers are met”.

According to Mr Agyemang, it is only PURC that can explain what the requirements are, stressing that the decision not to allow the Company to charge the tariffs “will affect us a great deal”.

ECG, however, will get a 6.54 per cent increase in customer tariffs for the last quarter of 2014.