‘Foolishness’ to saddle customers with meter test fee

The decision by the Barbados Water Authority (BWA) to reinstate the meter test fee is not sitting well with a local consumer advocate.

Earlier this week, the BWA put a notice on its Facebook page indicating that effective January 1, 2020 the state-run utility was reinstating the fee of $50 plus value added tax which equates to $58.75. According to the Authority’s post, this fee is in accordance with CAP 274A, Barbados Water Authority Regulations 1982 regs. 16(2).

Speaking with The Barbados Advocate yesterday, Reverend Malcolm Gibbs-Taitt, Director General of the Barbados Consumers Research Organisation Inc. (BarCRO) said it was unreasonable to charge customers such a fee, as the meters were the property of the BWA and not the customers. He said the meter’s purpose is to measure the water consumed by the customer and the consumer should not have to pay to have the meter tested if a fault is suspected.

“That is foolishness; that is absolute foolishness... I would love to know if there is anyone in government who agrees with that foolishness,” he said.

He made the point while noting that the fee had been suspended no doubt for a good reason, and given the high cost of living at present, it was unfair to saddle customers with a fee if they experienced problems with their meter.

Gibbs Taitt continued, “It is not the customer’s. The customer is in fact paying a rental for having the BWA’s meter on their premises or near their premises and if the meter is not functioning, it is the duty of the Water Authority to rectify the problem, whether it is by removal or fixing on the site and that cost for so doing should not be borne by the customer, because it is not his meter. If something goes wrong with it, it is the duty of the BWA, either to replace or to repair so that it functions correctly. As to the cost, it can’t be to the consumer, the consumer doesn’t own the meter.”

He said what the BWA could do is inform the public what a meter costs them to provide, so customers can appreciate the high cost associated with rental of that piece of equipment.

Meanwhile, the BarCRO head is questioning if the Fair Trading Commission (FTC) which is responsible for regulating the utility, had prior knowledge of the intention to reinstate the fee and whether it sanctioned the move.