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Sierra Leone Electricity and Water Regulatory Commission (SLEWRC) has today 2 June 2022 ordered that no retailer should sell sachets water above Le. 6000.
SLEWRC made this announcement at the weekly press briefing organised by the Ministry of Information and Communications (MIC) at Youyi Building in Freetown.
The conference was organised to inform citizens through the media on the approved tariff structure for Water and Electricity in the country.
On Friday 27th May 2022, a press conference was held at the Commission’s headquarters, in Freetown in which media houses were adequately informed about the shift in the price of sachet water ranging from factories, distributors, and the maximum purchasing price of the final consumers.
The Director-General, Dr. Emmanuel Mannah stated that the last tariff adjustment for the sachet water producers was in 2019 and at a rate of Le 3,500 and despite the high increase in the price of materials they have been addressing consumer demand.
He noted that the water union apply to the Commission for an increase in tariff as a result of the variance in the prices of their production materials and they cannot continue to run at loss.
SLEWRC stated that, “As a Commission with the mandate to regulate the provision of the highest quality of electricity and water services to consumers; providing guidelines on rates chargeable for the provision of electricity and water services; and charged with the responsibility to carry out regular reviews of rates and changes, have done the technical analysis on the water union tariff application and have agreed to come up with the following prices both in the interest of the consumers and producers:
Distributors are expected to receive factory price of Le: 4,500 and sell at a price not exceeding Le:5,000, while end users/ consumers are expected not to buy more than Le: 6,000.”
Director of Economic Regulation, Brima Bah emphasized that these new tariffs comply with the Sachet and Water Regulation Rules and any producers who does not comply with these rules will not be a beneficiary of these new tariffs.
The public relations officer(PRO) for the Water Union, Mr. Max Jalloh, commended the Director-General and team for their tireless efforts to keep water producers alive in their struggle. He also urged producers to comply with the new rates set by the Commission.
On the 12 May, 2022, the Sierra Leone Electricity and Water Regulatory Commission (SLEWRC) approved the Sierra Leone Water Company (SALWACO)’s proposed tariff that was submitted to the Commission.
The tariff structure was approved at a board meeting held on the 12th of May, 2022 in fulfilment of the Sierra Leone Electricity and Water Regulatory Commission’s Act of 2011, Section 45(1).
The approved tariff will be effective the 15th of June 2022.
