How to Manage Excessive Water Bills on Your Property

There is possibly nothing more annoying than downloading your monthly municipal bill each month only to discover that your utility bill has blown your budget out of the water!

I asked our preferred Property Lawyers at Schindlers Attorneys to provide us within insight on this matter. According to Chantelle Gladwin-Wood, a Partner at the firm advised me that the City of Johannesburg Metropolitan Municipality may have either:

1.     overestimated the amounts that you should be charged for based on estimated readings.

2.     there could be a billing mistake on the account, and it is not correct; or

3.     there may be a water leak at your premises.

An over-estimated amount.

We learn that the COJ is entitled to charge a consumer for water using estimated meter readings, not exceeding 180 days. Algorithms are used to estimate your readings.  If your COJ account reflects charges based on estimated readings, and these charges seem exorbitant, you can log a query and request that the municipality come, and inspect the meters at the premises and take an actual reading of the meter. Chantelle further adds that if your suspicions are accurate and the municipality has indeed overestimated your usage, then your account will be re-adjusted for actual readings after they have been taken and the charges decrease in the next statement.

What steps should you take if your account is incorrect?

If  the municipality has not recorded that the meters at the premises have been changed and they continue to charge you based on estimated charges in relation to the old meter that has been removed and replaced by a new meter.

Another common cause of incorrect billing for water charges could be that the Council fail to record the number of households at the property in multi-dwelling settings. If you are adamant or you suspect that your bill is incorrect for any reason, you may need to log a query.

How do you go about logging a query?

You can either call the COJ’s call centre on (011) 375 555 and request that they check the account and/or meter. They are bound to investigate and resolve your query and provide you with feedback in writing. This can also be a tedious task as we know and require a great deal of time and patience.

There is a water- leak who takes responsibility Council vs you

Which portion do you own and which portion is owned by the Council? The water meter belongs to the council and so does the supply from the street to the water meter. This means that COJ is responsible for the area outside your property. You are liable for water leaks situated inside your property; you own the pipes from the water meter into the house. It is the consumers’ responsibility to investigate and stop a leak if it occurs within the boundary of your property.

Chantelle advises that consumers need to bear in mind that water usage does vary with fluctuates in seasons, and that one will notice an escalation in the water costs as the  City of Johannesburg has an annual tariff increase in July.

If you require more information and assistance you may contact Chantelle directly on +27 (0) 11 448 9678 or send an email to gladwin@schindlers.co.za.