Oversight caused high water bills
New tariffs for high water consumption will be backdated to 1 January this year, and not August last year.
The City of Windhoek has admitted that there was an “oversight” that led to hundreds of residents receiving shockingly high water bills this month and said it would be rectified.
City of Windhoek spokesperson Harold Akwenye explained that the municipality revised all water tariffs based on water availability in line with its water management plan.
He said the City announced the outcome of the water supply outlook in July 2018 and water scarcity was declared as from 1 August last year.
“The declaration of water scarcity means that Windhoek should reduce its water consumption and set targets to save at least 10% savings of water consumption.”
According to Akwenye this implied that higher water tariffs applicable in times of limited water supply should have been charged from 1 July last year.
It was only discovered in December that households with excessive water usage were being undercharged.
“Instead of charging these consumers the rate applicable at time of limited water supply, they were charged normal tariffs that are charged during normal water supply.
“The decision to implement the correct charges for these consumers from 1 January going forward was implemented, but instead the charges were backdated to 1 July last year.”
Akwenye said the impact was more severe for customers whose meter readings had been estimated for a long period. The City has now decided to apply the new drought tariffs from 1 January this year.
The charges backdated to last August will be refunded. Affected customers will see the credit on their next statements that will be available from 25 March.
It was further stressed that nobody's water would be disconnected until the matter was rectified by the City. “The public is urged to seriously consider water savings by keeping their consumption below 0.73 kilolitres (730 litres) per day, or less than 22 000 litres per month,” said Akwenye.
If consumers exceed this threshold they will be charged N$61 per kilolitre. Those who exceed 30 000 litres per month will be charged N$141 per kilolitre. Akwenye warned that the only alternative would be water rationing for all residents, even those who used water responsibly.
“Rationing means shutting down water usage for a certain period of time during the day for the entire city,” he warned.
He emphasised that since the declaration of water scarcity in July last year the 10% water saving target had not been achieved.
Residents are encouraged to download the City's water management plan from its website to familiarise themselves with the regulations guiding water usage during times of limited water supply.
Consumers are further advised to regularly monitor their water consumption in order to detect water leaks, and to repair those promptly.
“It is also advisable to consider becoming a self-reader of your water and thereby keeping track of your water consumption at all times,” said Akwenye.
The City also acknowledged that there is a problem with estimating the water usage of those whose meters are inaccessible, or self-readers who do not submit their readings on time.
The municipality wants to reduce these estimates to less than two months.
Should consumers submit their actual readings to the City after an estimate was made, their accounts will be credited.
Capital projects
Meanwhile, the City's chief engineer for bulk and wastewater, Sebastian Husselmann, has elaborated on some of the planned capital projects to increase water supply to central Namibia.
He said there were plans to construct a second water reclamation plant at the Gammams wastewater treatment plant, but that would be very expensive.
With regard to the water treatment plant run by Windhoek Goreangab Operating Company (Wingoc), Husselman said it was still offline but was likely to come online by the weekend.
The plant was temporarily shut down after an oil spill at Namibia Dairies at the beginning of last month.
Husselmann said the Wingoc plant's capacity was 20 000 cubic metres per day, which is 25% of Windhoek's water consumption.
“To increase the capacity is just not possible. That is why doubling up of the new reclamation plant (Gammams) is on its way.”
He said the boreholes drilled to extract groundwater from the Windhoek Aquifer were meant to be an emergency supply.
ELLANIE SMIT
City of Windhoek spokesperson Harold Akwenye explained that the municipality revised all water tariffs based on water availability in line with its water management plan.
He said the City announced the outcome of the water supply outlook in July 2018 and water scarcity was declared as from 1 August last year.
“The declaration of water scarcity means that Windhoek should reduce its water consumption and set targets to save at least 10% savings of water consumption.”
According to Akwenye this implied that higher water tariffs applicable in times of limited water supply should have been charged from 1 July last year.
It was only discovered in December that households with excessive water usage were being undercharged.
“Instead of charging these consumers the rate applicable at time of limited water supply, they were charged normal tariffs that are charged during normal water supply.
“The decision to implement the correct charges for these consumers from 1 January going forward was implemented, but instead the charges were backdated to 1 July last year.”
Akwenye said the impact was more severe for customers whose meter readings had been estimated for a long period. The City has now decided to apply the new drought tariffs from 1 January this year.
The charges backdated to last August will be refunded. Affected customers will see the credit on their next statements that will be available from 25 March.
It was further stressed that nobody's water would be disconnected until the matter was rectified by the City. “The public is urged to seriously consider water savings by keeping their consumption below 0.73 kilolitres (730 litres) per day, or less than 22 000 litres per month,” said Akwenye.
If consumers exceed this threshold they will be charged N$61 per kilolitre. Those who exceed 30 000 litres per month will be charged N$141 per kilolitre. Akwenye warned that the only alternative would be water rationing for all residents, even those who used water responsibly.
“Rationing means shutting down water usage for a certain period of time during the day for the entire city,” he warned.
He emphasised that since the declaration of water scarcity in July last year the 10% water saving target had not been achieved.
Residents are encouraged to download the City's water management plan from its website to familiarise themselves with the regulations guiding water usage during times of limited water supply.
Consumers are further advised to regularly monitor their water consumption in order to detect water leaks, and to repair those promptly.
“It is also advisable to consider becoming a self-reader of your water and thereby keeping track of your water consumption at all times,” said Akwenye.
The City also acknowledged that there is a problem with estimating the water usage of those whose meters are inaccessible, or self-readers who do not submit their readings on time.
The municipality wants to reduce these estimates to less than two months.
Should consumers submit their actual readings to the City after an estimate was made, their accounts will be credited.
Capital projects
Meanwhile, the City's chief engineer for bulk and wastewater, Sebastian Husselmann, has elaborated on some of the planned capital projects to increase water supply to central Namibia.
He said there were plans to construct a second water reclamation plant at the Gammams wastewater treatment plant, but that would be very expensive.
With regard to the water treatment plant run by Windhoek Goreangab Operating Company (Wingoc), Husselman said it was still offline but was likely to come online by the weekend.
The plant was temporarily shut down after an oil spill at Namibia Dairies at the beginning of last month.
Husselmann said the Wingoc plant's capacity was 20 000 cubic metres per day, which is 25% of Windhoek's water consumption.
“To increase the capacity is just not possible. That is why doubling up of the new reclamation plant (Gammams) is on its way.”
He said the boreholes drilled to extract groundwater from the Windhoek Aquifer were meant to be an emergency supply.
ELLANIE SMIT
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