BVI experiencing water meter shortage
Communications and Works Minister Kye Rymer has indicated that the government is currently facing a shortage of water meters in the territory.
He told lawmakers that, as of April 2023, there were more than 500 customers who had applied for meters from the Water and Sewerage Department (WSD) and were still awaiting service.
According to Rymer, his ministry is in the process of procuring some 300 meters and has already requested to purchase 6,000 additional meters through a Schedule of Additional Provisions (SAP) that was passed in the House of Assembly previously.
The Minister disclosed, however, that just $500,000 was approved in SAP number-two passed in July 2023, which only allows for purchasing up to 3000 meters.
It was explained that the WSD presently charges consumers without meters by estimating the bill to a national value. He said this is sometimes done by referring to the last known historical information over a year or the average consumption when the meter was working.
In other instances, the charges applied are based on a fixed or flat rate of one thousand gallons per month, depending on the occupancy for the number of persons living in the dwelling.
Rymer told the House that the department’s projected revenue loss for using this method is not known. However, the minister said the department is working to upgrade the system and standardise it.
He further told the House that the new meters that are being installed now allow for data to be collected remotely.
The minister also said the government is taking steps to move the status of the Department of Water and Sewerage to that of a statutory board.
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It is past time that the ministries are run by professional managers, and the elected officials are kept out of them. Like corporate boards, they should only make recommendations and determine direction, leaving the management to professionals who are trained to run efficient organizations.
To run out of the only item that WSD has generating a return on investment is ludicrous – they waste 80% of the water and can only charge for the little amount that is running through a meter!!
‘The Minister disclosed, however, that just $500,000 was approved in SAP number-two passed in July 2023, which only allows for purchasing up to 500 meters’…………….
Minister, you can get a standard brass 3/4″ water meter as a single purchase for less than $200 (and that is high end quality) – you are telling me that for 500, 1000, or 5000 meters you couldn’t get a better price.
I just do not believe that any of your elected members think before you open your mouth. Nor do you ever give us the full picture.
Everything you state here from the cost of meters, through the other article mentioning lack of funds for WSD and conversion to a Statutory body makes no damn sense whatsoever!
How this Government (and previous Governments) operate with taxpayer’s money is deeply troubling and there seems to be no resolution.
UK does nothing, politicians milk it brazenly, we the people standby and cry about it and do nothing, all as our nation slowly but surely crumbles beneath our feet. Only a chosen few will be sitting back as fat cats while the rest of us are left in the rubble of our own making.
Today is the auction of Damions house. Ain’t nobody going to pay $405k for that crap.
This is beyond water/meter should go hand in hand.This is not true.Boi you can’t be real.This Govt.is the laughing stock of this region.Charles come to our rescue NOW before Governordeparture
MILLIONS SPENT ON THE MARKET KIOSKS, ELEVATOR FOR THE ADMIN COMPLEX AND WAREHOUSES IN HUNTHUM’S GHUT
If there is no potable water to distribute why are water meters needed?
needs a REAL engineer since ( mr Gary Penn ) left blondie was useless and the princess pearlized) was worse so its no surprise to those of us who have EXPERIENCING the nonsense that has been ALLOWED to go on for YEARS , and it ain’t no secret to those of us who is being overcharged
THE SCALE JUST WENT UP FROM THIRD WORLD COUNTRY TO NINTH WORLD COUNTRY. IF YOU SET OF JACK…ES WOULD BURY ALL THE PIPES UNDERGROUND LIKE THEY DO IN CIVILIZED COUNTRIES YOU WOULD NOT HAVE THIS PROBLEM. ONE SET OF MUMUS RUNNING THE COUNTRY. WHAT DOES ONE EXPECT WHEN YOU ALL KEEP ELECTING A SET OF SLOW MUMUS TO RUN THE COUNTRY. TAKE WHAT YOU ALL GET AND KEEP IT MOVING.I DON’T FEEL SORRY FOR NOT ONE OF YOU WHO KEEP PUTTING THE SLOW MUMUS IN OFFICE AND THEN COMPLAINING AFTER THE FACT.
Change those canoe looking shoes you are wearing and you will be able to develop some real thinking skills. Those huts that you wasted all that money on is not a market, the huts is more a beach set up or picnic area set up.All missing is the barbecue pits. These guys act like the people money is their personal ATM.
This minister is a nice guy, but he is a failure, water and sewerage changing out the old meters more than a year now, and never ordered enough to get the job done. That is not a shortage, that is incompetence by the leadership from the top down.
Everything is falling to pieces. Totally clueless people, educated only on paper.
Another one of their everyday scams to waste the public money to line their own greedy pockets.
When there was a shortage of safety equipment in BVI Chandleries in 2020 for the charters boats to be in compliance no one was saying anything. How long now was the meters ordered?
“The Minister disclosed, however, that just $500,000 was approved in SAP number-two passed in July 2023, which only allows for purchasing up to 500 meters.”
I wasn’t the best in maths at primary nor secondary school so could somebody tell me how much for one meter, if $500,000 could only purchase 500?
But wasn’t Garry removed from WSD over the same claims? This is getting juicy every day. Where can we find Gary and Pearline and perhaps the esteem one too because he was petitioned by the staff.
Those who know waiting for it then they go public. Minister and cousin boo. He surrounding himself with everyone who will jump to his command. He is now surrounded by a clueless thin-skinned PS and seniors who hands in the cookie jar. That whole ministry needs revamping.
You are trying hard to cast blame in wrong areas with clueless blank statements. Sit back and wait for the fireworks you’re prompting. Don’t drive this vehicle; take a back seat and buckle up because you’ll get mash up in the front seat.
I am certain I heard hon. Fraser asking about $3.5 million some time back, where did that money go? Isn’t money approved annually for the department for capital projects, and if so how is or was that money spent? Doesn’t the department collect money daily so where does that money go? Interesting.
I heard that for years the lady has been directly asking audit to conduct an audit on the department while she was in there but never got it. There must have been a reason. The capital money is held and spent under MCW; is that ministry clean? QTNA
Completely agree. Folks please check out this price list which google instantly tells me that $1000 is a crazy price:
https://assuredautomation.com/WM/residential-water-meter-price-list.php
These are minor stuff that can easily be solved. Why did this made the news. Somebody falling down and fall asleep on the Job.
500 meters for $5000,000.00 that is $1,000.00 for one meter.
Someones hand got to be in the cookie jar.
Step One: Any number divided by itself equals one.
Step Two: Remove the Zeros
$500,000/500 = $100,000/100
$100,000/100 = $1,000/1
Each meter is $1,000 dollars
Get a math app for your phone and practice.
The price isn’t out of bounds but in other cases the water company will charge for new meter request to offset the cost.
As granny say, book sense but no common sense. That piece of paper don’t mean a damn thing if you don’t have common sense under your belt.
Thank youuuuuu, those damn shoes is messing with his thinking skills for real. Are they to tight fitting or what? Off subject a bit, the one from the 3rd went wacko when he decided to put that path in the middle of his head looking like a beat up alley cat sitting on a fence.
Remember the tv show fantasy Island where the midget tattoo use to holler THE PLANE, THE PLANE. THE SHOES, THE SHOES IS WHAT IS BEING SAID ON THE DOWN LOW WHEN THEY SEE KYE SHOES. LMAO.
$1000
Been waiting a year and a half for mine!
Publish the names of the companies where meters are sold for $1,000.00? Tax payers are asking.
Ive been waiting for a connection for 5 years, my neighbour has water so its a quick hook up but for 5 years ive been told to wait for the water meters coming in.
Ive been waiting for a connection for 5 years, my neighbour has water so its a quick hook up but for 5 years ive been told to wait for the water meters coming in.
Charge the customer the cost of the meter at least we’ll see some action and you dont need a big taxpayer lump sum
Kamstrup
A reason a meter would be more expensive than it would seem is the integrated wireless technology and 20 year full replacement warranty.
One reference point:
https://www.rblandmark.com/2021/11/23/riverside-board-oks-1-1-million-for-new-water-meters/
I’m under no illusion that the BVI government isn’t frigging everything up, which would be standard operating procedure and more probable. Inflating costs on bad equipment, getting ripped off or whatever.
Bottom line is it’s a failure to not have meters and by the article people may be waiting another year without them. Bad management and completely unacceptable.
BVI has been experiencing water meter shortages for years. The ex-director was sending customers to CTL to purchase meters so they could install them. It’s the laughing stock of the Caribbean regarding Utilities.
When will the Opposition bring a vote of NO CONFIDENCE? JESUS CHRIST MAN!!!!!
We are all over saying what the former director did or didn’t do but maybe somebody should reach out to the lady to get her side.
Which Caribbean island laughing at the BVI?
That price makes sense if you are buying only 1, however if you are buying in bulk the price should be much cheaper!