Water tariff hike is wrong

I UNDERSTAND that we have a water situation in the Western Cape. I strongly feel, though, that the City has not played its part properly.

The City could have planned and implemented various water saving programmes like more dams and saving mountain water from running into the ocean. Many underground rivers have been closed and could have been reopened etc.

Over the years, more people have moved to the cities. The population has increased and nothing was done to cater for the increase in the demand for water.

Now the City’s poor planning has fallen on to the people. We are being screwed from all angles –Eskom, petrol and now water.

The exorbitant increase in the water tariffs is not justified. The City has jumped onto the bandwagon to suck people dry.

The basic household is suffering and cannot absorb these tariff hikes.

Water is a basic need, but with the new tariffs, it’s become a luxury.

You talk about 87 litres of water a person a day. In certain households, there are six or more people. Obviously, more water will be used.

These households are paying through their necks because the tariff does not take into account the number of people per household, but rather the water usage per household.

The jump in the tariff from a certain amount of water usage to the next, is ridiculous.

We cannot do without water, and the City is taking full advantage of the water situation.

What will the City do with all this extra money?

Is this solving the problem or just causing another?

The less affluent, water paying household, will just suffer further.

The City needs to get their house in order and reduce the tariffs immediately.

HASHIM ZALGAONKIR Grassy Park