GWI installing meters on neighbours in car wash clampdown

Feb 17, 2018 News

Consumers’ advocate, Ramon Gaskin makes a point during the public hearings this past week.

They have been springing up in almost every coastal village. It was estimated that at least 10,000 vehicles were entering the country annually. With many families working, the need for wash bays has grown considerably.
There are at least five such operations in the Diamond Housing Scheme, East Bank Demerara.
Recently, the issue of the car washes, as they are known, came up at a hearing by regulator, Public Utilities Commission.
Appearing this week before the PUC was the state-owned Guyana Water Inc. (GWI).
The company is currently asking for an increase in rates and tariffs that are more than a decade old. However, consumer advocates present at the hearings were concerned about the efforts of GWI to reduce the theft of water.
The questions were raised by consumer advocate, Ramon Gaskin.
According to Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Dr. Richard Van West Charles, GWI has been challenged in finding persons who are stealing water. It is highly dependent on neighbours and other citizens making reports when such cases arise. And the reports have been coming in.
He disclosed that the water company has started cracking down on car wash operations.
While in the beginning GWI started placing water meters, they found that operators were resorting to other means. Some managed to take illegal connections from neighbours.
According to the CEO, the water company has now started to ensure meters are attached to homes or properties located around the wash operations – left, right front and back.
The issue of water theft is not something that is unique to working class, domestic customers alone. In fact, some of the bigger homes have been caught stealing.
While some agreed to pay fines and reconnection, others promptly illegally reconnect, Van West Charles said.
There are even some homes in the city not paying water bills for over a decade.
In some cases, GWI has removed parts, but these were replaced by some home owners.
Gaskin made it clear last week that they wanted to see the numbers – what GWI is losing through transmission and other technical issues and what is lost through theft.
Both GWI and the Guyana Power and Light Inc. have been battling massive theft from customers.
GPL is losing at least 15 percent of the electricity to theft.

Discover more from Kaieteur News

Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.

Latest News