BVI official says water rates will not change with billing

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TORTOLA - The reinstatement of potable water bills in the British Virgin Islands will not lead to an increase in water rates, a Water Sewerage Department official said Tuesday.

Julian Willock, acting Water Sewerage director, said water rates for commercial and residential customers have not changed.

"With the return of billing, there might have been some misinterpretations of the government's water rates," he said.

Water customers will receive bills this week for the first time in 13 months. The Water Sewerage Department's computer billing system crashed during the Y2K turnover in 1999, and the department lost files, which resulted in inaccurate bills being sent to customers.

Willock said that under the upgraded system, residential customers will be billed $12 for the first 1,000 gallons consumed within a month. This means that if a household uses 500 gallons of water during a month, the cost will be $6 for consumption and $3 for meter rental.

After that, the rate will be $15 for every 1,000 gallons consumed, meaning that if a household uses 3,000 gallons during a month, it will be charged $42 for consumption plus $3 for meter rental - for a total of $45. If more than 3,000 gallons are consumed during a month, the household will be billed at $18 per thousand gallons.

Willock said water consumed by commercial customers during a one-month period will be billed at $25 per thousand gallons for the first 150,000 gallons. If 150,000 gallons to 300,000 gallons are used during a month, the rate will be reduced to $20 for each thousand gallons.

The rate is further reduced to $18 per thousand gallons if a commercial customer consumes more than 300,000 gallons within a month. Businesses using 10,000 gallons of water monthly, for example, will be charged $250 for consumption and $6 for the meter rental.

Willock said the department will investigate charges that there have been meter irregularities in some areas of Tortola.

Virgin Islands Daily News

-- Anonymous, December 01, 2004


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