Gengema Naidoo is concerned about why the Ekurhuleni Metro doesn’t read meters in Pollak Park and the Springs area on a regular basis.
“It concerns me because one would think they would detect water leaks on a monthly basis instead of after the three months estimation system,” she says.
She feels the metro fails the residents completely with regard to meter readings.
During a recent water leak she was charged for the water and then also charged extra for sewerage usage.
“How does the sewerage cost go up if the water that was lost never went through the sewerage system?” she asks.
The water went into the ground from a burst pipe, which made Naidoo believe it shouldn’t have been added to her account.
Metro spokesperson Themba Gadebe says they are responsible for meter readings on a 30-day cycle in a calendar year.
However, he states it is the customer’s responsibility to allow officials access to their property to enable them to read the meters located inside the property.
Gadebe says the leak Naidoo referred to has been acknowledged and all processes were followed and noted on the system.
Naidoo’s account was flagged with a payment extension.
“This means she needs to continue paying the three-month average charges which is determined by the readings before the leak commenced,” says Gadebe.
Terms of the relevant legislation resolved at a meeting in May to amend the metro’s tariffs for sewage disposal services and incidental charges came into effect on July 1.
Gadebe says it states the following:
Amounts due for waste water services for the 2017/2018 financial year be paid on dates as indicated on accounts rendered from July 1.
Sewage charges will be linked to the account where the water connection failed.
Reference to “per month” in the tariffs is based on a meter reading period of 30 days with regard to the calculation of charges for the free consumption portion.
Gadebe says private internal leaks will be handled by the Metro’s finance department.
Council leaks are handled by their water department.
“According to our reading history Naidoo’s account shows the meter reading company reads meters regularly on a month to month basis,” says Gadebe.
Readings can also be emailed to William Secada william@eukonengineering.co.za
