NWC and OUR frustration

THE EDITOR, Madam:

I am writing to express my frustration with both the National Water Commission (NWC) and the Office of Utilities Regulation (OUR), particularly regarding an unexplained J$95,000 spike in my June 2024 domestic water bill.

Much of my frustration stems from the excessive time and effort required to address and resolve issues in Jamaica, regardless of the service provider, as well as the lack of practical options available to assist.

It is commonly understood that resolving such issues demands sacrifices beyond regular monthly payments – specifically, the sacrifice of time and effort. This includes wasting time waiting in lines at the service provider’s office and navigating multiple channels of communication.

There’s also a sacrifice of dignity, as one often feels compelled to be loud or even resort to begging to be heard. Despite making these sacrifices, my household has been without water for more than a month.

Our community of Forest Hill Gardens has been on the “6 a.m. to maybe 8 p.m. or midnight” water lock-off rotation for more than a year now, and yet the NWC records show that my household managed to consume 90,000 litres of water in June 2024.

Because of our special water schedule, we assumed it was a community issue for more than a week before realising it was just our household, and as a result, we don’t know when exactly our service was disconnected.

I should mention that our service was disconnected before we noted and raised the alarm about the discrepancy in our bill, with no prior warning or notification given. Our meter was removed for testing on July 31, 2024, and we are still awaiting a report on that outcome.

The previous and subsequent consumption were normal range, averaging about 9,000 cubic litres of use, showing no justification for such an exorbitant spike.

On June 27, 2024, the NWC sent their assessor – again without our knowledge – to read our meter and they ‘confirmed’ that the 90,000 reading was accurate.

Post-alarm in July 2024, we had a plumber inspect the property, and no leaks – whether above ground or underground – were found. It’s very strange that, without any human intervention, the 90,000-litre ‘leak’ resolved itself as if by magic. But alas, sometimes these things happen – or so we were told. Now, we are being held hostage to pay for these 90,000 litres of phantom water we didn’t even have the benefit of using.

The OUR has recommended we wait an additional 30 working days for a response to our plea for help. While I understand they are contending with other corrupt utilities, I cannot afford to continue paying rent for a house that is not habitable. I would like to know if sanity and hygiene are among the sacrifices we must generally accept in pursuit of a resolution.

What other sacrifices must the average Jamaican citizen make to have access to a paid service? Where are we supposed to turn for help? Do we, as Jamaicans, accept this as a general standard and pay for the duppy water? Are there better, more effective options available?

JOELLE SALKEY FAULDER