Happy customer service week to all our esteemed customers. Today, as we continued serving you and appreciating you for the continued support that you have accorded to us through the year, few lucky customers were gifted a branded cap to appreciate them for being an integral part of the company! watch this space. We will close the customer service week in style!
Nyeri Water and Sanitation Company Board of Directors led by chair Patrick Munuhe on September 13th 2021 embarked on an inspection exercise of all the company’s facilities to ensure that they are operating optimally. The tour which saw them visit the catchment area in River Chania and Zaina also took them to Ihwa intake, Kamakwa treatment plant, Kangemi sewer treatment plant, Mathari twin tank, Tetu tank, among other many other facilities.
The members of the board who were accompanied by the senior management also visited Nyeri Hill where the company plans to construct a water tank to increase supply efficiency. They also visited the proposed Baraka- Chaka water extension project phase which is intended to serve over 1,000 residents of Baraka estate in Kieni East Sub County to serve approximately 200 water connections in phase I. These proposed projects are some of the flagship projects planned for in the Strategic Plan 2021/22- 2025/26.
The directors were impressed by the status of the facilities and urged the company’s management to maintain the high standards found in all of them. Speaking during the tour, chair Patrick Munuhe congratulated all staff, customers and all other stakeholders for maintaining position one in the 2019/20 Wasreb Performance Report a position the company has held for the last 13 years as well as Non-Revenue Water champions in the recently released report by the Ministry of Water and Sanitation on Non- Revenue Water Management with a NRW ratio of 14%, the lowest in the country.
He also challenged them to do even better in the subsequent evaluations. Nyeri County Executive Committee Member for the department of Water, Environment, Natural Resources and Sanitation Fredrick Kinyua who joined the team in inspection of the proposed Baraka- Chaka water extension in Kieni. The CECM reiterated Nyeri County Government’s commitment in supporting the company as it delivers on its mandate of provision of clean and safe drinking water and sanitation services to the residents of Nyeri Central Sub County and its environs. He also commended the Board of Directors, management and all staff for excellent service delivery.
The Customer Care section spent their day in the heart of Kiawara in Nyeri Town serving our customers. The multi departmental team has been hailed by the customers for taking the services closer to them. This is being conducted under the customer sensitization exercise which seeks to educate them on services rendered, how to access them as well as resolving customer complaints. The team will head to Majengo on 16th September 2021 for the same exercise. The exercise is one of the Company’s interventions in Low Income Areas aimed at increasing access to clean water and sanitation services.
Nyeri Water and Sanitation Company is committed to the realization of the set target by the government of Kenya of making potable water and safe sanitation accessible to all by the year 2030 and United Nations SDG 6 which promotes the accessibility of clean water and sanitation for all.
The exercise was conducted in strict observance of the Ministry of Health guidelines on curbing the spread of the Corona Virus Disease. Customers were sanitized on arrival and each one of them was provided with a mask.
The performance appraisal system of any organization is a vital component of the health of the whole business cycle. The water sector and Nyeri Water and Sanitation Company Ltd in particular is not an exception to this view. The increasing significance of performance appraisal processes and performance management systems is of fundamental importance to the performance of any organization. Thus what gets measured gets done. Performance appraisal is a significant component of performance management. Performance management seeks to achieve better results by understanding and managing employee performance with an established framework of planned goals, standards and competencies. It includes planning, developing, monitoring, rating, and rewarding employee contributions to business organisation. It is based on the principle of management by contract rather than by command.
Continuous performance management creates an ongoing dialogue and an atmosphere of trust, support and encouragement. It also helps develop a relationship between employee and the company. If an employee is aware that their manager and the company cares about what they are doing and is dedicated to helping them do better and progress their career, their commitment to their employer and motivation levels are likely to remain high.
It is this regard that NYEWASCO has embarked on an ambitious performance contracting exercise which commenced on 27th July – 30th July at the Kenya School of Government, Embu Campus. The training was aimed at equipping supervisors across all departments with knowledge of how to handle the performance management process which combines information gathering through monitoring goal completion, feedback and discussions. By analyzing successes, strengths, learning from mistakes and examining potential for growth and development, NYEWASCO will develop talent, enhance individual performance and weed out problems.
Nyeri Water and Sanitation Company Ltd (NYEWASCO) is known in the country and beyond as the best water services provider. This is according to IMPACT REPORT 13 (Water Services Utility Performance Report) among 81 utilities in the country for the 13th year in a row.
To add to its list of firsts, the company launched an internship programme during which 40 candidates were enrolled. The internship programme which took effect in the month of August included elaborate process where the vacancies were advertised. To ensure a wider circulation, the company took advantage of the robust social media platforms that it enjoys to tap into the targeted audience mainly youth who graduated from 2019 to date. The placed interns largely capture the face of Kenya in terms of County of origin, ethnicity, education background and Institutions of Origin. The programme will run for 11moths, expiring at end of June 2022.
For Mary Wangui Kigia, a resident of Ndurutu Village, Kerichu Division, Nyeri County, Nyeri Water and Sanitation Company Ltd is a life saver that shall remain etched in her memory lane. Wangui, a beneficiary of a free water connection is full of life even at her advanced age. The free connection was implemented under the aegis of the company’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) through the Pro- Poor department.
NYEWASCO is committed to conducting her business and affairs in a socially responsible, sustainable and meaningful way taking into account ethics, the environment and society at large. The CSR programme is part of the company’s plan to continue to build trust and public confidence through public awareness and strong stake holder engagement. It is also an avenue of embracing responsibility for the impact of the company’s activities on the environment which is why Nyeri Water and Sanitation Company Ltd is a big campaigner of Environmental conservation through the “Conserve the Environment today, it will save you tomorrow” imitative. The initiative aims at not only planting, but also growing trees from the seedbed to maturity. The company has established an arboretum at Kiganjo sewer pumping station where over 20,000 trees have been planted in 2021 so far. The arboretum which is projected to be fully operational by 2024, will be open to the public and will host a football pitch for the youth.
The upgrade exercise of the Ruring’u township and rural areas corridor supply network which has been ongoing in phases is still ongoing. The technical team is working on the lower stadium stretch which is approximately 1.0 kilometers. The objective of the upgrade is to increase the volume of water supply to customers in Ruring’u and the adjacent areas which has been informed by an increase in demand. The team is also working on customer meters re alignment, servicing and raising meter covers.
The upgrade has also been necessitated by the regular pipe bursts experienced in this section as a result of the poor state of the PVC pipes.
The exercise involves replacement of old dilapidated PVC and galvanized iron pipes with larger High-density polyethylene (HDPE) pipes. This will kill two birds with one stone in that apart from increasing the volume of water to customers, it will also decrease the amount of water lost through pipe bursts and leakages also known as non- revenue water.
Customers in Ruring’u, Kunyiha, Atlas, Florida and Safaricom rural, Wamai, Castro, Stadium B and the adjacent areas are expected to notice an improvement in supply as soon as the upgrade of the section is completed. The company is committed to improving the customer experience in all its services.
Did you know that water theft through illegal connections or meter by-passes, self connection after cut off for non- payment is a criminal offence punishable by law? The following penalties applies:
1. ILLEGAL CONNECTION: Commercial, Industry, Construction fraud- Sh. 100,000 plus estimated consumption during the period of illegality.
2. ILLEGAL WATER CONNECTION FRAUD DOMESTIC- Sh.30,000.
3. SELF CONNECTION after cut off for non payment Sh. 5000 and billing backdated from date of cut off.
These penalties have been set by Water Services Regulatory Board (The Kenya Gazette No. 2188 ) to deter water theft and failure to pay may lead to a jail term.
Last week, a man was who was involved in water theft was caught by our security & investigation department whose mandate is to weed out the vice. He was taken to Central Police Station where he was booked and is out on cash bail. He is required to pay for the penalty and billing backdated from the date of cut off. The total sum has escalated way above what he owed before the illegal connection and failure to pay will lead to criminal charges being brought against him. It is not worth the trouble. Get a legitimate water connection to avoid these penalties. Our team is on the ground verifying all water and sewer connections.
We urge our customers to report to us any case of water theft, illegal water and sewer connections, illegal discharge of waste water in un-designated points, meter vandalism and theft to the nearest police station or to us through the following communication channels:
1. Facebook@nyewasco
2. Twitter@watee_nyeri
3. Toll free phone number 0800721095
4. Phone number 0734732481
Email
Let’s stop mwizi together. Help us serve you better.