The Kerala Water Authority (KWA) Managing Director has issued orders resuming the practice of spot billing where the consumer is handed the print-out of the water bill immediately after the meter reader takes the reading.
Some months ago, the KWA had shifted to a system where the bill details are sent to the consumer via SMS. But it triggered widespread complaints from consumers, prompting Water Resources Minister Roshy Augustine to direct the KWA to resume spot billing.
Both systems in place
However, the SMS option will not be discarded. According to the April 22 order issued by KWA MD Venkatesapathy S., the water utility will use both spot billing and the SMS bill information system for generating the water bill.
The practice of issuing the print-out of the bill on-the-spot was discontinued six months ago with KWA services moving online as part of the total digitalisation programme of the State government. Paper bills were to be issued only on request. Under the new system, meter readers were required to upload the data to the reading sheet on the computer first and then SMS the details to the consumer.
Consumers’ complaints
This system, however, gave rise to several complaints. Consumers complained about delays in getting the SMS, and that the KWA did not have the numbers of several consumers on their records. Technology-related issues faced by older consumers also proved a damper. Several consumers became aware that they had failed to pay their bill only when KWA staff arrived to cut their water connection, the Minister's office said in a statement on Saturday. Again, after missing a payment, several others had to remit fine.
