MWSS proposes revisions on water service connections, billing guidelines
THE REGULATORY office of the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) has proposed several revisions on water service connections and billing scheme guidelines.
Francis Eduardo P. Ayapana, Jr., supervising public utilities regulation officer, said in a virtual briefing on Tuesday that the MWSS seeks to revise provisions in the Customer-Oriented 2013 Implementing Rules and Regulations, which apply to Maynilad Water Services, Inc. and Manila Water Co., Inc.
Mr. Ayapana said the proposed revisions involve the disconnection and reconnection of water service, and the rate classification and billing scheme for small-scale or home-based businesses and high-rise and other multiple dwellings.
One of the proposed changes is to disallow the disconnection of a customer after presenting proof of payment that all delinquent accounts have been settled.
According to Mr. Ayapana, the current provision only provides that disconnection will not proceed if the customer has proof of payment for all delinquent accounts, and does not have the clause “subject for disconnection.”
“Delinquent accounts shall mean those accounts which have remained unpaid for a period of 60 days after due date, or after the lapse of the date agreed upon by the parties and/or the non-fulfilment of the conditions in the agreed settlement,” he said.
“Under the proposed revision, customers only need to settle the bill that has already exceeded the 60 day-period despite having multiple unpaid bills. However, we still urge customers to pay all remaining bills before the 60-day period,” he added.
Another proposed revision is to ban disconnection on the days of Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year’s Eve, New Year’s Day, Holy Wednesday, Maundy Thursday, and Good Friday. Also, no disconnection will be conducted after 6 p.m.; and payment and reconnection are allowed even during weekends and holidays.
The current provision mandates that “actual disconnection shall not be implemented on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays, local and/or national holidays, or the day immediately preceding local and/or national holidays to give the customer sufficient time to settle the account during regular working days.”
Further, Mr. Ayapana said MWSS seeks to revise the time it takes to restore service connection during an erroneous disconnection, or the disconnection of non-delinquent accounts.
Under the proposed revision, the concerned water provider shall restore service connection within 12 hours upon time of discovery, adding that the time shall start upon the receipt of complaint.
The current provision directs concerned water concessionaires to restore the service connection within 24 hours from time of discovery.
Another proposed revision is the grant of a discount equivalent to the customer’s daily average consumption for the past three months for every hour of delay if the service connection is not restored within 12 hours.
“Under the revised provision, the customer shall not be entitled to a discount if the concessionaire can show proof of reconnection in case no responsible person is available to acknowledge the reconnection of the service connection,” Mr. Ayapana said.
Further, Mr. Ayapana said a proposed revision is the inclusion of sewer charge in terms of the prevailing commercial tariff rate under the rate classification and billing scheme for small-scale businesses.
The planned change would read: “The succeeding cubic meters of water consumption in excess of the first 30 cubic meters shall be imputed with the prevailing commercial tariff rate inclusive of sewer charge; but customers reclassified under semi-business shall not be charged with sewer charge.”
Other proposed revisions of the MWSS include the addition of barbershops, beauty shops, and eateries among customers under the rate classification of small-scale and home-based businesses, and specifying the definition of condominiums under the billing scheme and rate classification for high-rise and other multiple dwellings as provided by Republic Act No. 4726 or The Condominium Act. — Revin Mikhael D. Ochave
