The executive committee in Bashtanka approved compensation for the water utility to cover the difference in tariffs, but instructed that the rise in water consumption be investigated
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- Alona KokhanchukReporter
In Bashtanka, the executive committee has approved compensation for the water utility to cover the difference in tariffs. Illustrative photo: Dzerkalo TyzhniaThe Executive Committee of Bashtanka City Council has approved compensation for the tariff difference for the municipal utility «Miskvodokanal» for June, amounting to 779,200 hryvnias. At the same time, members of the executive committee questioned the validity of such an increase and called on the municipal utility to check meter readings more thoroughly.
This was discussed at the executive committee meeting on 14 August, according to NikVesti.
During the discussion of the issue, Yana Distrianova, head of the Economic Development and Trade Department at Bashtanka City Council, reported that consumers had submitted readings totalling 45,000 cubic metres of water for June. According to her, part of the sharp rise in consumption is attributed to the fact that, ahead of the tariff increase, people submitted their meter readings in advance to lock in the old price.
At the same time, members of the Executive Committee noted that in June last year, consumption stood at around 34,000 cubic metres, whereas this year it was 45,000.
«On average, it was 550–560 per month, up to 600,000. When Yana Mykolaivna came with the draft resolution, I noticed that the figure there was 780,000. In other words, a sharp increase,» noted one of the members of the executive committee.
According to city council representatives, staff in the customer services department were checking suspiciously high readings. If, for example, a consumer reported 50 or 100 cubic metres instead of the usual 10, the readings were checked again. In some cases, staff visited the addresses in person.
The village heads of the community’s settlements were also involved in the checks. During the discussion, members of the executive committee highlighted instances where debtors who had not appeared on the lists the previous month suddenly appeared in June.
A separate discussion was held regarding consumers who had used large volumes of water but had not yet paid for them. Representatives of the city council explained that such charges are treated as arrears, but compensation to the utility company is calculated based on actual consumption, regardless of whether the customer has already paid for it.
Members of the Executive Committee proposed not to compensate the entire claimed amount immediately, but to defer part of the payments pending further verification. In particular, a proposal was made to compensate 579,000 hryvnias, and to consider the remainder of the amount following a more detailed analysis.
«It seems to me that the work of the customer services department needs to be organised more clearly here. Given that they were aware of the impending tariff increase, they should have immediately addressed these inflated readings, contacted these people directly, investigated and resolved the issue to ensure there were no 11,000 cases,» said one of the Executive Committee members.
At the same time, representatives of «Miskvodokanal» emphasised that the increase in consumption during the summer may not be solely due to meter readings being submitted before the tariff increase. In particular, residents are using more water for watering, and some people have acquired greenhouses and started growing their own produce.
The water utility also points out that there are 7,300 customers in the community, so it is difficult to physically check each consumer’s meter reading every month. People submit some of their meter readings themselves, particularly via online services.
«They (customers, — note) say: «You put the meter in the well, so climb in there and take the readings.» We have seven female staff members. This month, as we did last month, we’ve brought in one person on a temporary contract to go round the whole of Bashtanka, checking these meters on every street. This man has now been doing this for two months, because the women cannot climb down to varying depths,» added the water utility.
Following the discussion, the executive committee approved a draft resolution on compensating for the difference in tariffs. Eighteen members of the executive committee voted in favour of it. At the same time, it was agreed that the issues of meter readings and the work of the customer services department would be examined further.
It was previously reported that authorities in Bashtanka are trying to establish who is discharging sewage into the central pond and polluting the water body. So far, the offenders have not been identified.
It should be recalled that there are plans to build new sewage treatment facilities in Bashtanka, Mykolaiv region. The local authorities are currently seeking a contractor to draw up a detailed site plan for the future construction. They are prepared to spend 416,600 hryvnias on this.
