[Afr]
Elke keer as munisipale water afgesluit word is daar 'n goeie kans dat die munisipaliteit duisende rande sal inhark van vals watermeterlesings. Dit is omdat lug wat deur verbruikers se watermeters en waterpype gaan, vals lesings gee wat outomaties op alle waterrekeninge gehef word.
As jy dus skielik 'n hoër-as-gewoonlike waterrekening het, kan dit die verduideliking wees.
As jy 'n voorafbetaalde meter het, is jy selfs meer in gevaar. En as jy nie die eienaar van die eiendom is nie, as jou verhuurder weier om die munisipaliteit te vra om ondersoek in te stel, is die kans groot dat jy eenvoudig moet opdok! Maar hoe wydverspreid is hierdie probleem?
Vir inwoners van Villiers is sogenaamde “beurt-water” reeds vir die afgelope 3 maande die “nuwe normaal”. Watertoevoer word omstreeks 09h00 afgesny en omstreeks 16h00 weer oopgemaak - glo om water te bespaar.
Wanneer daar lekplekke in hoofleidings herstel word, kom groot hoeveelhede lug in die pypwerk. Dieselfde geld vir die waterpype in die dorpie Villiers - krane kan soms vir ongeveer 4 minute hoes en proes voordat daar 'n bestendige stroom water is.
Die realiteit is dat die meerderheid watermeters, insluitend die "nuwe" voorafbetaalde meters, verouderde tegnologie gebruik wat op 'n “impeller” staatmaak om die hoeveelheid water wat deur die meter gaan, te meet. Eerder as om water as sodanig te meet, meet hierdie meters alle vloei deur die meter – insluitend lug.
Omdat water digter as lug is, word die lug saamgepers en gaan dit baie vinnig deur die pyp, en daarna deur die meter, wat die impeller binne die meter letterlik buite beheer laat draai. Afhangende van die hoeveelheid lug wat betrokke is, kan dit veroorsaak dat jou meter 'n totaal valse waterlesing laat loop - wat hand in hand gaan met baie hoë waterrekeninge.
“Nuwe" Voorafbetaalde meters problematies
'n Nog groter probleem spruit uit die "nuwe" voorafbetaalde watermeters, omdat verbruikers geen verweer/bewyse het wanneer sulke foute gebeur nie. Aangesien geld vir die meter vooraf betaal moet word, moet jy eenvoudig die meter aanvul. Wanneer watertoevoer weer aangeskakel word, nadat dit afgeskakel is, vreet die lug wat deur die meter gaan letterlik al jou geld op. Niemand kan bekostig om aan te hou betaal vir lug nie!
Het ek vir vars lug betaal?
Enigiemand wie se waterrekeninge skielik verhoog sonder enige duidelike rede, moet let op of verhoogde "gebruik" ooreenstem met gebarste waterleidings in die area of "waterstorting" soos die praktyk in Villiers is.
So wat moet jy doen?
Maak noukeurige aantekeninge van water-onderbrekings en daag die munisipaliteit uit wanneer jy jou rekening kry. As jy 'n voorafbetaalde meter het, daag die munisipaliteit dadelik uit.
Nog beter, kontak Mafube Business Forum (MBF) om jou te help om jou dispuut te verklaar of by te werk.
Besoek ons kantore by Kerkstraat 18A, Frankfort op Maandae tot Donderdae van 08h30 tot 16h00 en Vrydae 08h30 tot 12h00. Bel of stuur 'n WhatsApp-boodskap aan Marina by 079 145 4295. Besoek ons webwerf www.mafubebf.org en volg ons op Facebook.
----
[Eng]
Every time municipal water is shut off e.g. to repair a water pipe bursts, there’s a good chance that the municipality will rake in thousands of rands from false water meter readings. This is because air passing through consumers’ water meters and water pipes gives false readings that are charged automatically on all water bills.
So if you suddenly have a higher-than-usual water account, this could be the explanation.
If you have a prepaid meter you are even more at risk. And if you are not the owner of the property, if your landlord refuses to ask the municipality to investigate, chances are you will simply have to pay up! But how widespread is this problem?
As Villiers residents have been experiencing for the last 3 months or more, it is a daily occurrence. Water supply is shut off during the morning (around 09h00) and opened again at around 16h00, ostensibly in an attempt to save water.
When there is a leak in the pipes delivering water to suburban properties, municipal workers have to shut off the water supply whilst the broken section of water supply pipe is being repaired. When the mains are reopened again, there can be a large amount of air that has entered the pipework. The same holds true for the town of Villiers - when water is reopened in the afternoon it has been witnessed that taps splutter and cough for about 4 minutes before you get a steady stream of water.
The reality is that the majority of water meters, including the “new’” prepaid meters utilise old, outdated technology relying on an impeller to measure the amount of water passing through the meter. Rather than measuring water as such, these meters measure all flow through the meter – including air.
Because water is denser than air, the air is compressed and passes through the pipe, and subsequently through the meter, very fast, making the impeller inside the meter literally spin out of control. Depending on the amount of air involved, this can cause your meter to run up an unreal, totally false water reading – which goes hand-in-hand with very high water bills.
“New” Prepaid meters problematic
An even greater problem arises from the “new” pre-paid water meters. The problem is that consumers have absolutely no recourse, as money for the meter must be paid up front, and in spite of your constitutional rights to water, if you are cut off, you simply have to top up the meter. When water supply is turned back on, after being shut-off, the air passing through the meter literally eats up all your money. No-one can afford to keep paying for air!
Have I been paying for air?
Anyone whose water bills suddenly increase for no apparent reason should note whether increased “usage” corresponds with burst water mains in the area or ‘water –shedding” as is the practice in Villiers.
So what should you do?
Good advice to anyone who has a break in their water supply, and notices air escaping through their taps when the water flow comes back and they turn the taps on, is make a note of the date and the time of the interruption, and if you are on a billing system (rather than a pre-paid meter), to challenge the municipality when you get your bill. If you have a pre-paid meter, challenge the municipality immediately.
Better still, contact Mafube Business Forum (MBF) to assist you in declaring or updating your dispute.
Visit our offices at 18A Church Street, Frankfort on Mondays to Thursdays from 08h30 to 16h00 and Fridays 08h30 to 12h00. Call or send a WhatsApp message to Marina on 079 145 4295. Visit our website www.mafubebf.org and follow us on Facebook.
More on the Water Crisis
This procedure is misguided because:
This is a major inconvenience since water is not available during the day when businesses operate, schools and clinics are in use and households need water for its basic functions.
MLM loses out on a major source of revenue – water sales to consumers.
It does not consider that more than 50% of the water treated at great expense by the municipality is lost through leaks and otherwise when demand is low i.e. “night losses”.
It leads to unhygienic conditions and sewer blockages, particularly at public facilities.
Comments