PENSIONER MADELINE HENRY is trying figure out how her water bill has jumped from an average of $1,200 per month to a whopping $29,000 in under a year although she has no leaks. The 84 year-old woman said the bills she received from the National Water Commission (NWC) started moving late last year after climbing from an average of $1,200 in the middle of last year to more than $29,000 in January.
"I don't know what happening," she said. "My bills start going up in last year and every month it come more even though I pay the amount I am used to paying," she said.
She said she noticed the increases in her water bill from Sepetember last year when it jumped to more than $2,000. However, just when she thought that her bill would settle, it moved again to in excess of $4,000 before settling at its current $29,000 where it has remained for the February bill as well.
"I reported the matter to them at the Spanish Town office and they came and looked at it and could not find a leak. They checked the meter and told me nothing was wrong with it but the bill still going up," she said.
Miss Henry told THE STAR that she is puzzled as to how the bills could have moved to that amount as she lives alone although the house belongs to her son who is abroad.
"I don't have a car and I don't do a whole lot of washing and cooking. Even If I was doing that the bills should have never reached to that amount and although the NWC can't find a problenm they refuse to drop the amount," she explained.
When contacted the NWC said they were unable to expain what was the reason for the jump in the bill and said the matter was being investigated.
"I wouldn't be able to tell you today what was the reason for increase in her water bill as I would have to investigate the matter before I could tell you the final outcome on the matter. From the moment she has made a complaint the matter will be looked into," said Charles Buchanan, NWC Public Relations Manager.
He however added that her bill could have gone up for various reasons and one of those possibility could be a problem with the meter. He said though, that if the bill suddenly jumped to an uncharacteristically high amount the company would investigate the matter to find the cause. He said if the NWC was at fault they would make an adjustment in the bill match the average of the previous months.
