$1.8B recovered from water thieves: dishonest contractors blacklisted

By Leroy Smith

From October 2015 to today, August 09, 2016, the Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI) has been able to recoup $1.8B in revenue which was owed to the company by persons who were either stealing water, tampered with their water meter connection or as a result of court rulings.

This was disclosed by Chief Executive Officer of the company Dr. Richard Van West-Charles at a press conference on Wednesday afternoon.

The company head disclosed that residents mainly from Regions 2 and 4 were taken to court for non-payment of bills. The company was also able to recoup millions from very large prosperities where water was being supplied by unconventional means.

The media was told that the company managed to recoup the significant sum by embarking on an extensive disconnection campaign which forces errant water users to pay up their dues.

It was also stated today that several contractors who were previously employed with the company dealing with reconnection and disconnections were permanently black listed from those duties by the water company, as they were found to be reconnecting water supply of errant customers without the directive from the company and while those customers still had outstanding sums for GWI.

GWI is looking to ensure that it supplies each property with a water meter as it serves as an advantage to both the customer and GWI. The company has announced that 60% of its revenue comes from 40% of its customers and those forty customers are persons with water meter.

The Guyana Water Inc. has also introduced monthly billing of customers for water usage and if those bills are not paid within 45 days then it triggers a disconnection order which carries with it, a reconnection fee of GY$7000.