Many Tanzanian water consumers remain unaware that they are legally entitled to compensation if their water supply is disconnected during weekends or public holidays.
According to the Customer Service Charter and regulations enforced by the Energy and Water Utilities Regulatory Authority (Ewura), any water provider that interrupts a customer’s service on such days must pay Sh100,000.
Should the disruption continue, an additional Sh5,000 is payable for each day until normal service resumes.
Water Distribution Manager at Ewura, Engineer Titus Safari revealed this during a recent podcast on customer service contracts.
He explained that these contracts set out the services a provider commits to delivering, as well as the rights and responsibilities of both parties.
“Every water authority is required by law to maintain a customer service charter, and Ewura ensures compliance,” he said, adding that these charters are developed through participatory stakeholder discussions.
Mr Safari urged customers, including those served by Dawasa, to familiarise themselves with their contracts to fully understand their rights and obligations.
For instance, when a citizen applies for a new water connection and pays all applicable fees, the authority is legally obliged to supply water within seven working days.
Failure to meet this deadline entitles the customer to Sh15,000 in compensation, plus Sh5,000 for each additional day of delay.
He emphasised that it is illegal for providers to disconnect water during weekends or public holidays, whether deliberately or by mistake.
“Suspending water on such days contravenes the law and entitles the customer to compensation under the service charter,” he said.
Exceptions exist, however, such as when a customer fails to settle a bill within 30 days. “In such cases, suspension is allowed but must follow the correct procedures and timing,” Mr Safari noted.
For customers seeking redress, he advised reporting the issue first to the relevant water authority to allow for mutual resolution. If no agreement is reached, the matter can be escalated to Ewura either online or in person.
“Our main goal is to reconcile disputes between service providers and customers,” he said. “If reconciliation fails, Ewura proceeds with a formal hearing and issues directives to ensure the customer’s rights are fully upheld.”
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