The Tribune

By YOURI KEMP

Tribune Business Reporter

ykemp@tribunemedia.net

Treasure Cay residents have accused the Water & Sewerage Corporation of billing them for services never supplied due to Hurricane Dorian’s destruction of the utility’s systems.

Homeowners told Tribune Business they have recently been receiving multiple bills per week dating back to early September 2019, which was when the Category Five storm devastated Grand Bahama and Abaco. They are alleging that are being hit with the minimum charge simply for— having a meter on their property, even though the Water & Sewerage Corporation was incapable of providing services.

Nanci Stone-Rock, a Treasure Cay second homeowner, said she has been receiving bills from the Water & Sewerage Corporation every day for the past week at $131.89 per bill.

“During August 2019 to May 2023 there were no water bills,” she explained. “As a matter of fact, there was no meter on the water line. So at some point the Water & Sewerage Corporation, while we were not there, came around and they cut off my lock and they put a meter on it.

“But then there was nothing until about three weeks ago from Water & Sewerage Corporation, and then they started coming every day. Every day they would charge us about $132.” These charges have compounded to a total of over $1,200 for her water and sewerage services.

“The minimum charge is $18, and there’s a water service charge of $12, and that comes to $30, which is reasonable if they are back online,” Ms Stone-Rock said. “Then there is a sewer unit charge, which is $90 plus VAT of $11.99. So the new charges are $131.89, and they went back to a week before Dorian. As everyone knows, our sewer may have just gone online as of July.”

Sylvanus Petty, the Water & Sewerage Corporation’s executive chairman, recently confirmed that restoration works in Treasure Cay were completed in July.

Ms Stone-Rock added: “The last bill that I got was on October 13, and the bill was $1,187.01. That would have been the last bill I received, and they are starting to send bills every day. Every day the bill goes up by that $131.89. I have been getting an e-mail every day with a bill.” Water & Sewerage Corporation bills are typically issued quarterly, so residents are querying whether there is a “glitch” in its system.

Water & Sewerage Corporation management did not respond to Tribune Business inquiries before press time as other Treasure Cay residents took to Facebook to air their concerns over the same billing problems.

Carmen Williams said: “I got the same bills. Marsh Harbour office told me I had to pay because the meter was on my property. It didn’t matter that I did not have water access.”

Em Arundel added: “I have been receiving water bills for my beach villa in the last few days. They started with the service from 9/4/19 (three days after Dorian, when there was no water or sewer) and are sending me a bill for every succeeding quarter about every three days.

“It appears that they are billing the minimum water (there was no water) of $48 and sewer of $46.40 plus VAT of $9.44 for a total of $103.84 per quarter. At this rate, it appears that it will be a minimum total about $1,661 for 16 quarters. I have sent a couple of e-mails to Water & Sewerage Corporation but so far no reply.”