This older couple living in a small home in the township of Whitianga have a water meter. So it is not the same issue which is set out on page 13 where TCDC is yet to unbundle water meters or change the way they calculate and hence cease overcharging. Readers need to remind themselves of this by reading page 13.
The couple have mobility issues – both use walkers so visiting the Council means a lot of physical effort. I am not using their names. They genuinely feel troubled but don’t want to cause trouble. They have lived in their home for many years. Their home is beautifully kept.
When they received a water bill for over $1,900, they went into shock.
They questioned it and asked their neighbours about their water bills. They asked for help as they knew they did not use that amount of water under any circumstances. The council asked them to check for a water leak. The plumber came twice to their home – did not do any repairs as stated in the letter from the council. There was nothing to repair. He had checked and double checked if there was a water leak. There was no leak and the plumber went to the council to report that.
The response was to give the plumber a brochure on how to test if there is a leak. The plumber has assured the home owners and TCDC he has done a thorough job.
Everyone is doing their job. I can see from correspondence, the council office is doing their job. But the couple are distressed as compared to past water bills and to their neighbours’ bills, it is a ridiculous amount and something is wrong. They are in their eighties and believe they have done everything possible.
The husband is a retired engineer. He checks his water meter every day. If there is no movement of any numbers on the meter, there is no water being used. He is also very clear that no one from the Council has been to their property. When was the meter read and by whom? There would be a system for checking this and that has not been mentioned in correspondence.
The problem is in this following phrase used by the Council in their response to this couple.
“…in relation to an excess water remission claim, we are unable to approve your claim on this occasion, as it falls outside of TCDC Remission Policy Conditions.”
Whatever happened to the water meter person who would come and read the meter? The couple have already spent money on two plumber’s visits. If there is no leak, could it be that there is a mistake somewhere in the accounting system? This customer does not leave bills unpaid – they are responsible citizens and pay them on time.
This matter is obviously worrying these two older residents – there has been mention of penalties if they do not pay this enormous amount. However, they are not inclined to pay something that seems to be very inaccurate. Would it not be fairer to have the couple pay the same amount as they did the previous year and send someone for the council to do their own checking?
That water bill, undeserved, is enough to cause health issues and TCDC can do something about it. The Policy Conditions can be set aside to enable another solution to be found.
After all, the community has tried to be very understanding about the fact that there is an issue with overcharging when it comes to bundled meters – that has been public knowledge. Everyone is waiting for that to be sorted. Let’s sort this couple’s bill so that is it close to every other years account.
A Thought & Prayer For Malcolm Campbell
He is a farmer of immense experience; an environmental warrior; an adversary of too much artificial fertiliser and chemical sprays. He has written many wonderful invigorating and well researched article for The Informer. He is the author of many books on environmental subjects and sustainability— he is 94. Recently he had a stroke and he is weak in his body. Next week we will share his final article, which his son helped him prepare. When I visited him he could still recite the phone number of his son and tell me in whispers that the first big local government reforms began in 1946-7 when they formed Catchment Boards. He believed that was a good move but had less compliments about all the mergers since. Malcolm Campbell is a legend.
