When your water bill is enough to make you weep
Many people have been surprised recently by the high level of their water bills. They insist there must be some error in the billing mechanism, or perhaps in their water meter, and they have called for immediate action by the service provider, the National Water Co. The issue has featured prominently on television and in social media.
What many consumers find particularly difficult to understand is when they pay their water bills regularly, their consumption falls within an acceptable and reasonable range, and yet their bills increase by thousands of riyals from one month to the next.
In the absence of a clear mechanism to exercise their rights, they have no option but to submit an objection to the bill. When there is a large discrepancy between the bills from two consecutive months with the same water consumption, the correct action by customers is to submit an objection immediately after the arrival of a bill that does not reasonably correspond to consumption.
The National Water Co. has made it clear that its procedures include a specific series of steps before an invoice is issued. They check water usage according to the meter, and compare it with the previous usage. If it is unusually high, the company is obliged to alert the customer.
The company is not permitted to invoice a customer who has an outstanding objection to a previous bill until the issue has been dealt with. Customers may also request a payment installment plan of up to 12 months, depending on the size of the debt. The company is also obliged to replace a meter in the event of any failure or problem. It must then monitor consumption and calculate the correct amount for the period under objection, based on the new meter rate. The service provider also points out that the receipt and registration of a complaint does not require payment of the invoice.
The water industry is regulated by the Electricity and Cogeneration Regulatory Authority. Its job is to ensure that water supplies are adequate, reliable, of high quality, and reasonably priced. The performance of the authority itself is evaluated through the Water Services Regulations.
Nevertheless, amid mounting complaints, the Water, Agriculture and Environment Committee of the Shoura Council has called on the company and the Ministry of Water and Electricity to establish the causes of the problem, and calculate the extent of the damage and the number of people affected. Urgent solutions are required, because too many water bills do not match reality. In addition, there should be more publicity for the detailed regulations covering the rights of water consumers — not just related to billing issues, but also delays, and inadequate responses to complaints.
Of course, the role of the service provider does not end when it sends out a monthly bill. It should also be educating consumers on how to control and ration water use, and provide adequate tools to do so, as well as raising awareness about consumers’ rights and responding to their inquiries.
• Dimah Talal Alsharif is a Saudi legal consultant, head of the health law department at the law firm of Majed Garoub and a member of the International Association of Lawyers. Twitter: @dimah_alsharif
