W&SD trying to collect some $6M owed by customers- PS Smith-Berkeley
During the Standing Finance Committee to Examine the Draft Estimates for the Year 2022 held at Maria’s By the Sea, PS Berkeley was asked by the Minister for Natural Resources, Labour and Immigration Hon Vincent O. Wheatley (R9) that “year after year we come back with the same discussions when it comes to Water and Sewerage. Of the $28 million that was spent and only collected $5 [million] sounds like a $22 million deficit. My question is what are we doing to reduce that?”
'W&SD trying to collect about $6M'- PS
The SFCR said PS Berkeley replied that in the previous session the Director of the Water and Sewerage Department alluded to the fact that there are some issues relating to leakages in the system and with the collection.
“If the leakage issues are plugged, that should reduce wastage. With regards to the deficit, there are about $6 million that they are trying to collect. We are aiming to collect the bigger amounts which hopefully should help to reduce that big deficit,” PS Berkeley stated.
The issue of the Water and Sewerage Department (W&SD) carrying a significant deficit yearly has been a long-standing issue.
'Haemorrhaging' of $$ must stop- Premier Fahie
In November 2021, Premier and Minister of Finance Honourable Andrew A. Fahie (R1) publicly called for the “haemorrhaging” of roughly $22 million per year by the department to stop.
The Premier said a major part of the problem is the old infrastructure and plans are afoot to transform the W&SD into a statutory body that would pave the way for more autonomy for the department to tackle some of the issues affecting it that it is unable to take on under the present arrangement.
He also mentioned that digital meters will be replacing analogue meters to help with the issue.
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22 Responses to “W&SD trying to collect some $6M owed by customers- PS Smith-Berkeley”
Cut off water supply until they pay what they owe.
Easy nah ???
Water & Sewerafe needs to take that lost and start afresh. People here inheriting Bill's from previous tenants/families.
My Grandmother passed some 15 years ago and to date and because another family member is now living in the house they are still getting bills for water used before they occupied the house. Although each month they are given the currant bill the arrears are still attached as if they expecting Granny to one day show up and pay it off. This is wrong. Clean up the system. Delete all those dead accounts. You cannot hold another accountable for someone else's debt. People can hardly get bills paid for last month come think on bills dating back 5/10/15 years. And they hold you hostage now because you cannot apply for another meter at the same premises where there are outstanding balances.
Now they have new meters that are spinning like windmills while not in use. Whose idea were these meters? Are they best for our region? The older ones were bad enough.