IN the Highway Mail dated 4 August, eThekwini Municipality advised consumers to check the Metro Bill. On doing so, I found that my water cost has increased by more than 20 per cent. This seems incredible, so I show the calculation below – please review and comment.
Our household uses about 380 litres per day, about 11.4 kl per 30 day month.
Water cost was previously R14.09/kl for the first 300 l/day, then R16.64/kl for up to 833 litres per day.
So the cost was 300 litres per day x 30 days = 9.0kl at R14.09 = R126.81. 80 litres per day x 30 days = 2.4kl at R16.64 = R39.94. Total cost – R166.75.
Water cost now is R16.20/kl for the first 200 l/day, then R19.14 for up to 833 l/day. So cost is – 200 l/day x 30 days = 6.0 kl at R16.20 = R97.20
180 l/day x 30 days = 5.4 kl at R19.14 = R103.36. Total cost – R200.56. The increase is R33.81 / R166.75 = 20.28 per cent.
In February 2017, the water and sanitation minister, Nomvula Mokonyane, said the Johannesburg and Durban Metros were losing 56 per cent of their water per month.
Is Durban Metro taking the easy route of charging the consumer more, rather than solving the problem?
Unhappy captive consumer
Hillcrest
