Some NWC guaranteed standards to customers suspended due to COVID
Published:Monday | May 4, 2020 | 11:35 AM
The Office of Utilities Regulation (OUR) has granted a request by the National Water Commission (NWC) to suspend four guaranteed standards for three months because of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on its resources.
Guaranteed standards are minimum service level requirements of utility companies to ensure value to customers.
A breach of a guaranteed standard results in a compensatory payment to affected customers as a credit on their next bill.
Breaches attract automatic compensation by the utility provider or compensation based on a claim submitted by the affected customer.
The OUR says in making its request, NWC cited the constraints caused by the measures implemented by the Government to curtail the spread of COVID-19 and its own precautionary islandwide measures to address staff and public health and safety concerns.
It said the water company indicated that these factors have impaired its ability to meet these four guaranteed standards.
The OUR reviewed the request and accepted that it is reasonable in the prevailing circumstances, and as such granted a three-month suspension from April 1 to June 30.
Here are the guaranteed standards that have been suspended:
Connection to Supply - Maximum time of 10 working days to connect supply and install metre after the establishment of a contract.
Meter Installation - Maximum of 30 working days to install a metre on customer’s request.
Meter Installation – Maximum of 20 working days to verify and repair or replace metre after defect is identified by or reported to the NWC.
Meter Reading - Should not be more than two consecutive estimated bills (where the company has access to the metre).
The OUR asked the NWC to immediately notify its customers of the suspension of the guaranteed standards.
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