Got TIPS or BREAKING NEWS? Please call 1-284-442-8000 direct/can also WhatsApp same number or Email ALL news to:newsvino@outlook.com;                               ads call 1-284-440-6666

Smart water meters are Gov’t property & should not be touched- W&SD Director

- Ms Perline Scatiffe-Leonard says some customers removing meters & turning it the opposite direction
Director of the Virgin Islands Water & Sewage Department (WASD), Mrs Perline Scatiffe-Leonard has warned customers that the new digital smart water meters rolled out in the VI, remains the property of the Government and as such, persons should desist from any tampering. Photo: GIS
Mrs Scatiffe-Leonard added that it is an exciting time for the department and that staff are eager for the rollout of smart meters as it relates to more innovations like remote monitoring. Photo: GIS/Facebook
Mrs Scatiffe-Leonard added that it is an exciting time for the department and that staff are eager for the rollout of smart meters as it relates to more innovations like remote monitoring. Photo: GIS/Facebook
ROAD TOWN, Tortola, VI – Director of the Virgin Islands Water & Sewage Department (W&SD), Mrs Perline Scatiffe-Leonard has warned customers that the new digital smart water meters rolled out in the VI remains the property of the Government and persons should desist from any tampering.

“We’ve metered out areas like Anegada, we have done Anegada fully… Jost van Dyke fully, we still have a lot of work to do on Virgin Gorda and of course, we have some work to do here on Tortola,” she said during a July 12, 2022. GIS report on the department. 

Mrs Scatiffe-Leonard added that it is an exciting time for the department and that staff are eager for the rollout of smart meters as it relates to more innovations like remote monitoring.

She said field staff can now just drive by a location and get a meter reading rather than having to go to ‘every little nook.’

"Once we read the meter... We receive not just the meter reading, we receive the temperature of your water, how long you have been without water, which area has been without water for days," she revealed. 

No tampering with meters - Mrs Scatiffe-Leonard

However, the W&SD Director warned that persons should not tamper with the meters as it remains state property. She said customers are taking meters off and turning them around. 

She said smart meters can pick up on the violation, whereas, with the previous analog meters, the violation was not detected. 

"They should not be touching the meters, it's actually government property. if the meter needs to be moved for some reason, a request must be made."

She added that if persons don't want the meter anymore a request must be made and that the department will enforce the laws regarding tampering with meters or any W&SD installation, which remains an offence punishable by law. 

21 Responses to “Smart water meters are Gov’t property & should not be touched- W&SD Director”

  • Oh Please (13/07/2022, 09:55) Like (7) Dislike (3) Reply
    You are not interested in doing things properly anyway. The Water department runs at a loss every year for years! Stop making it seem you are doing a proper job..
  • Weak system could not get her out (13/07/2022, 10:11) Like (6) Dislike (0) Reply
    She still around?
    • think (13/07/2022, 11:12) Like (3) Dislike (0) Reply
      If she was really not performing the system could have moved her long time easy. I wonder what is really happening in there. Time will soon tell.
  • my concern (13/07/2022, 10:18) Like (53) Dislike (0) Reply
    while you at it please remove that illegal policy that when someone purchase a property they also buys over the debt of any water arears. this is nonsense and I think illegal. someone buys a piece of land or a house and the previous owner is owing monies for water that he or she previously used why should the new owner inherit that debt?? How can this be legal?? hold the previous owner accountable. someone need to take this matter before a court of law.
    • Exactly (13/07/2022, 11:18) Like (11) Dislike (0) Reply
      When they install a meter it should be a new one which will not obviously have any previous charges on it. They did the same to me, the previous tenant left a bill, they said they installed a meter and after a month installed with barely any water as it is always off the bill was over $600. I told them either fix it or take back your so-called meter. This is stupidness. And why cant they modernise their systems where you can get your bills and pay online as well like the REST OF THE WORLD! geeze man.
  • BeenLike (13/07/2022, 10:33) Like (9) Dislike (1) Reply
    A month since I went to W&S Dpt. requesting service on the line to my home. First I was given another number to call maintenance, I lodged the complaint and they said they had to schedule it. I've been waiting ever since, no one came. The problem persist. Get serious y'all.
  • Advisor (13/07/2022, 10:46) Like (4) Dislike (4) Reply
    I will advise you director is to create an enforcement unit in the department to deal the persons who damages the government property and steal water.
    • Listen (13/07/2022, 10:58) Like (13) Dislike (0) Reply
      Steal what water.... Some places on Tortola never have water. so what are we stealing air.

      They don't even have worker that can come and check up on the lines is a who department to deal with person who damages government property I LAUGH OUT LOUD....

      let me go full my bucket up before them shut it off again. cause i never have running water.

  • z6ne (13/07/2022, 10:46) Like (15) Dislike (1) Reply

    The incompetent people that were contracted to install these new meters are the ones that installed several of them the wrong way but M*s L....... herself is incompetent so she wouldn’t know any better.

    What they need to do is figure out how the first reading after the installation of these new meters my bill which is normally $38-50 is now $400+ and can’t be rectified

    • Sue (15/07/2022, 12:39) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      I agree with you z6ne because up to now she can't get my problem fix.
  • VG (13/07/2022, 14:46) Like (3) Dislike (0) Reply
    Hope that the employees of W&S changed out their old meters too...that's if they had one.
  • govt property? (13/07/2022, 15:29) Like (5) Dislike (0) Reply
    How is it government property when we had to pay for the meter to get it installed? You serious?
  • See (13/07/2022, 15:48) Like (5) Dislike (0) Reply
    Smart meters ? How about smart employees ?
  • Lily Ann (13/07/2022, 19:18) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    now the whole country gonna be jumpin on the bandwagon of flipping their meters. this is why u dont put everything in the news.
  • Smart meters (13/07/2022, 20:14) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    could probably run the W&S Dept. better than the current civil servants.
    • collect (15/07/2022, 12:41) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply

      fact the department is running sh**ty the staff them don't care about their customers.

  • Oh My God. (14/07/2022, 04:36) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    This dept is backward, useless, ghetto, unproductive. Imagine in this day and age you still have to be in long line to pay your water bill. Our Govt with billions passing through every hear and all the think they smart people, we still cannot pay our bill on line..Shame...Disgrace..
    • nicole (15/07/2022, 12:51) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      It is a disgrace, they move from where they had parking to an area where there's no parking at all. and they didn't even care about their customers especially the elderly ones this is crazy this government is foolishness. Why the boss couldn't speak up for her customers.
  • Well (14/07/2022, 22:24) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    Since the new meter was installed where I live at an apartment building. My bill is much more higher than usual. Usually I would pay no more than $50 for a month, as I'm very careful as always but low & behold I got a bill for 4 times the amount, I nearly felt off my seat. Imagine no leaks, not using water during the day that much as not home. Big rip off with these meters if you tell me.
  • the bay (15/07/2022, 16:03) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    Well I'm in the same NO WATER with everyone else. Before the new meters my bill was between 20 to 35 dollars monthly. Received a bill for 120 then it went up to 250. Well thank God Clarence Thomas was open and had buckets to sell. When I full up my buckets I shut off the meter. Start going laundry and my bill went down the river. THANKS CLARENCE THOMAS.
  • OLE TING (15/07/2022, 17:49) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    Listen 2 the name people SMART METER.Its designed 2 rob us rate payers.Most time when u go 2 pay your bill theres always a problem and water and sewerage always comes out the winner.


Create a comment


Create a comment

Disclaimer: Virgin Islands News Online (VINO) welcomes your thoughts, feedback, views, bloggs and opinions. However, by posting a blogg you are agreeing to post comments or bloggs that are relevant to the topic, and that are not defamatory, liable, obscene, racist, abusive, sexist, anti-Semitic, threatening, hateful or an invasion of privacy. Violators may be excluded permanently from making contributions. Please view our declaimer above this article. We thank you in advance for complying with VINO's policy.

Follow Us On

Disclaimer: All comments posted on Virgin Islands News Online (VINO) are the sole views and opinions of the commentators and or bloggers and do not in anyway represent the views and opinions of the Board of Directors, Management and Staff of Virgin Islands News Online and its parent company.