Legal teeth for Water Regulator to determine price of bulk water

Another regulatory body joined the extensive fray of government agencies this week when on Thursday 01 June, the Minister of Agriculture, Water and Forestry, Hon John Mutorwa inaugurated the new Water Regulator.

The Water Regulator comprising five individuals, is instituted under the authority of the Water Resources Management Act (11 of 2013), Section 12, but its main functions are executed under Section 7 of the NamWater Act of 1997. The minister described, in broad terms the new regulator’s mandate as falling under NamWater’s legal obligation to “determine and levy, in consultation with the minister, tariffs on a full cost-recovery basis for water supplied.”

The Water Regulator is chaired by Mr Joseph Iita, assisted by Ms Nathalia Goagoses, Mr Pedro Maritz, Ms Olga Katjiuongua and Mr Luther Rukira.

“On behalf of the Government of the Republic of Namibia in general and in the name of the Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Forestry specifically, I have the pleasant public responsibility to officially inaugurate and present, the eminent and distinguished members of the Water Regulator of Namibia” the minister said at the inauguration ceremony in Windhoek.

Hinting at the new regulator’s job of looking over NamWater’s shoulder, the minister briefly described the sphere of duties: “to carry out efficiently and in the best interests of the Republic of Namibia, the primary business of bulk water supply to customers, in sufficient quantities, of a quality suitable for the customers’ purposes, and by cost-effective, environmentally-sound and sustainable means; and the secondary business of rendering water- related services, supplying facilities and granting rights to customers upon their request.”

The process to populate the new regulator started in September last year when the ministry requested submissions for appropriate candidates. The names of the prospective candidates chosen by the ministry were endorsed by Cabinet on 23 May 2017, and the official introduction followed a week later.

“I congratulate you, the members of the Water Regulator of Namibia, individually and collectively, for your deserved appointments as experts in the respective identified fields relevant to your professional training and experience” said Minister Mutorwa.