Letter: Outrageous water bill

Cliff Hatt of Zinkwazi writes:

As a pensioner living alone and conscious of both cost saving and the importance of water conservation, I have managed to limit my monthly municipal consumption to 4.6 kl a month – as my records show.

I was also able to afford a rainwater tank for that purpose.

For the last 3 years I have been using the then newly-introduced and efficient water metering system, controlling my water usage and easily purchasing replenishment vouchers when necessary.

iLembe had supposedly introduced the system in order to circumnavigate non-payment and feeble revenue collection – which usually comes from feeble service delivery.

However, they supposedly somehow forgot to check on the availability of back-up supplies of meter reader ‘remotes’ – and now they can’t supply any replacements, so they say.

So as our remotes pack up, so does the system, and we now all return to the archaic municipal water bill.

So, I receive my first emailed water bill for my first month of usage under their system.

Their records show that I used 2 kl for the month.

My bill is R187.37 – or in my case R90.67 per kilolitre for the 2kl I had used.

When querying, I was told that their rate includes the first 10kl of water usage for the month.

The fact that I had only used 2kl was of no interest to them.

So, despite saving water I am being ‘ripped off’ – to use a rather common cliché these days.

And despite them having a payment system that discourages users from using higher amounts of water, they now have a system that burdens those who conserve and use less than 10kl.

Work that one out.

After continuing to be gob-smacked by the revelations of incompetence and thievery in the Zondo Commission of Inquiry into State Capture, one cannot help under my circumstances, but to now be suspicious about municipal capture.

Believe it or not, I’m not just thinking about myself.

Let’s picture the scenario in the poorer settlements that surround us as remotes for water meters slowly start packing up and families who don’t qualify for indigent benefits, who may or may not have grant incomes and who may not have employment as a result of Covid-19.

And, who certainly don’t have the money for water tanks, are suddenly faced with these massive increases in price from iLembe for their first 10 kL of consumption of used or unused water.

Poorer citizens have paid severely as a result of state capture and I see no difference in this municipal scenario.

Ward councillors please take note when you attend your ‘war-rooms’.

Maybe there’s a need for some investigative journalism here too.

Mr Zondo you too might wish to cast your eye in this direction, although you’re probably going squint by now!

iLembe District Municipality revenue manager Muziwandile Gumede replies:

As per the approved tariff of charges, the basic charge includes the first 10KL of water consumption.

It can be that a consumer may use 1KL or 9KL, the charge will still be applicable and will be until the next category in the tier.

For a residential non-indigent household, the basic monthly charge is R162.93 excl., 11-30 litres 23.45 and more than 30 litres, R38.90.

If a consumer doesn’t and or cannot afford to pay for services, the consumer is welcome to make an application for indigent support. In that category the first 10 litres are free.

In regards to consumers being converted to conventional meters, it needs to be noted that the contract with the service provider had expired and that some meters had malfunctioned.

The District Municipality is still exploring the market in regards to prepaid metering and also which one will be most suitable.