Gillian Bailey said she received an account for R3 880 from Ekurhuleni for water consumption, three years after her water meter was replaced.
According to metro spokesperson Themba Gedebe, the water meter did not register consumption from July 2010 to February 2014.
“It is a back dated estimated charge for water services supplied to the consumer, but could not be accounted for at the time the supply took place, because of a meter which failed to register consumption of water for the period July 2010 to February 2014,” said Gedebe.
“The consumer did not pay for water consumed during the period stated above, because she was not charged/billed for any water consumed.”
Bailey said she does not see why she should pay for the water if it was not an error on her part.
She added that she has been paying for water every month.
Gebebe said the amount will have to be paid, regardless.
“As explained in the by-laws, ‘meter stuck’ is one of the cases when the meter fails to register the consumption of water by a consumer at any period where water supply was taking place and consumption was confirmed,” he said.
“This may result from cases such as a mechanical fault in relation to the device/meter.”
