Water bill woes solved

Dear Claudienne,

I migrated to the USA in 1996 and returned home in 2019. Water supply to my premises in a St Mary district was disconnected in 1998. Although no one was living there, the National Water Commission (NWC) kept sending bills. In 2014, in preparation for my return, to Jamaica, I went to the NWC office in Port Maria and requested a reconnection of water to the premises.

The NWC office at that time told me that my bill was somewhere in the region of $100,000.00. I then pointed out to the clerk that there had been no water on the premises since 1998. I also asked the clerk for clarification as to why from 1998 to 2014 the NWC had been sending estimated bills for water usage at the premises, even though no water had been supplied to the premises during that period.

The NWC resumed water supply to the premises in 2015, and at that time they installed a meter. The current NWC bill is $169,000, despite the fact that there was no water usage at the premises from 1998 to 2014. Since March 2019, when I have been living at the premises, water has been in the pipes for 10 days at most. Each time that I have made a payment at the NWC office in Port Maria, they promise to do an investigation and adjust the bill. However, to date no adjustment has been made to the bill.

In early April 2021, I spoke to a supervisor at the NWC Port Maria office and she promised to investigate and get back to me by the end of April. The current meter reading at 7:00 am, as of June 17, 2021, is 001621. The meter reading should represent the amount of water I have received at the premises since 2015.

Please ask the NWC to clarify what this meter reading means. I would appreciate your help in getting the NWC to investigate and make adjustments to my bill.

NE

Dear NE,

Tell Claudienne has been in communication with the NWC regional manager. As a result of the investigations done, the regional manager has informed the column that a credit of $169,400.00 is to be applied to your account by the end of July.

We wish you all the best.

Dear Claudienne,

I am a retired public health nurse who was employed by the Western Regional Health Authority (Ministry of Health) Hanover Health Services for 16 years and 10 months. On 2/3/17, I applied for my NIS pension at the Santa Cruz St Elizabeth NIS office. However, to date I have not received it. I am requesting your help.

NJ

Dear NJ

Tell Claudienne consulted with the NIS and notes that you are now receiving your pension. We wish you all the best.

Have a problem with a store, utility company? Telephone 876- 936-9436 or cell # 876-484-1349 or write to: Tell Claudienne c/o Sunday Finance, Jamaica Observer, 40-42 1/2 Beechwood Avenue, Kingston 5; or e-mail:edwardsc@jamaicaobserver. com. Please include a contact phone number.