Premier signals higher water rates under VIEWCO
Premier Dr Natalio Wheatley has signalled that consumers could face higher water rates when the Water and Sewerage Department transfers to the Virgin Islands Energy and Water Corporation (VIEWCO).
Speaking in the House of Assembly yesterday, August 13, Dr Wheatley said the new corporation would need to charge rates that reflect the cost of supplying water and allow the operation to remain financially viable.
“You think an electricity corporation can afford to subsidise water to that extent? No, they can’t. So they’re going to have to be able to charge water rates to assist the operation to be viable,” Dr Wheatley stated.
He said the amount charged to consumers remained far below the cost of producing water because the government heavily subsidised the service.
“You have to be able to charge the rates which are appropriate to make the model work,” the Premier stated.
Opposition member Myron Walwyn questioned whether the Premier was announcing an impending increase in water rates. “Is that what you’re saying? Is that an announcement through the back door?” Walwyn asked.
In response, Dr Wheatley said that responsible governance required the utility to generate sufficient revenue to meet its operating expenses. “I’m doubling down, actually,” Dr Wheatley stated.
“One thing I like about the VIEWCO is that the VIEWCO, in my view — because it’s a business model — they will increase the customers for water and sewage. And they will have to come up with a business model that works,” he added.
Unmetered connections and unpaid bills
The Premier also pointed to unmetered connections, unpaid bills and non-revenue water as issues affecting revenue collection. He said VIEWCO would have to ensure that customers paid for the water they received while expanding its customer base.
“When you’re selling water, you have to be able to collect enough revenue to be able to operate,” Dr Wheatley stated. “And you have to be able to charge reasonable rates. And you have to make sure that customers pay.”
The legislation creating VIEWCO received Governor Daniel Pruce’s assent in June. It provides for the merger of the Water and Sewerage Department and the BVI Electricity Corporation under one statutory body responsible for electricity, water and sewerage services. The government has said the merger is intended to strengthen service delivery, operational efficiency and long-term sustainability.
Dr Wheatley maintained that the new business model would improve the reliability of the territory’s water supply.
“I am fully confident that when water transfers to VIEWCO, you are going to get a better business model,” he stated. “And you’re going to get better results. You’re going to get better reliability. And the corporation will receive more revenue.”
He said the minister would soon bring the legislation into force, allowing the territory to begin seeing the results of the merger.
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Nobody received, can VIEWCO guarantee 24hr water , surely your going to have to have a business that can actually distribute it’s product before it decides unilaterally to increase its charges to all when 50% of it’s clients aren’t receiving a full time supply
As VIEWCO comes into focus, the public deserves a clearer view of the water system. One built on reliability, proper metering, and reduced losses. Fix the supply first, strengthen the foundations, and then we can talk rates. People need a better view of the service before they’re asked to accept a higher view of the bill.
Right now the view isn’t looking good.
So This Is What The Talk About Water And Electricity Merger Was All About? I Bet It Won’t Affect The Money For Partying And Travelling. Lord Please Let The Time Soon Come To Get These Wicked Thieves Out Of The Way. Please Dear God, Bring Relief To This Satanic Operation.. Please God, Pour Your Wrath Upon This Lawless Place And Show Mercy Upon Your Faithful People. How Long Lord? How Long Must We Endure All The Wickedness In This Lil Territory? Lord, Only You Can Help Us. How Much More Can We Take Lord? How Much More?
Well, like a bad hurricane, it has arrived now. For those of you who think politics and elections are a popularity contest.
This is the result of bad leadership when people don’t know what they are doing or don’t care.
Higher taxes and fees. They have spent money on shows and all sorts of nonsense, and the people just sit in their corner and complain, afraid to speak out and hate anyone who does. Now it’s time for us all to pay the price.
this is such b.s, charging more for something we barely get is robbery, vote them all out
When you are in for more, you shall be out for less, a hard head surely makes a soft, soft behind. You people thought this was going to be as easy or good as it sounded right? You people should have gotten up and protest this merger but you sat back and let it happen. I am so glad I have a cistern and I don’t have to pay a hefty water bill each month for water, if my cistern is going low I can pay for a water truck to deliver my water.
When the talks about the merger came up you senseless folks should have stood up and protest. Now you all is going to be paying more for water you could hardly get to wash your fruzy behinds.When the guy from the radio ask you idiots to march so we could have better access to water you idiots stood on the side of the road and mock him. You all deserve what the hell you all are getting. Why should I care? I have a cistern and I can enjoy a decent shower.
pile it on boss we are resilient
I hope that people take all these things into consideration when they go to the polls. Natalie and his whole cabinet needs to be voted OUT! Sharie, Kai, Wheatley, ALL of them. This is ridiculous. Spend money on all kinds of nonsense then plan to tax and raise prices for things they don’t provide…strupes
Higher water rates for water we done don’t even receive?? Let’s be for real!
What about trying separating the water and electric problem and you would not have this problem.
How did the problem get created in the first place by joining them together??
Whose stupid idea was that?
How much water is lost to leaks thar run 24/7 with no attempt to repair ? Over 50%. Someone has to pay, we do !
IT IS GOING TO GET WORSE BEFORE IT GET ANY BETTER. Y’ALL THINK YOUR LIGHT AND WATER BILL IS HIGH JUST WAIT. MY NEIGHBOR HAD ME CACKLING WITH LAUGH. SHE SAID SHE IS GOING BACK TO OIL AND KEROSENE LAMPS THAT SHE GREW UP USING AND WATER DRUMS TO CATCH WATER.
So we paying for all the water that been running on the roads for years now?
What are the requirements or protocols for public floggings? Seems like only blows can help them understand.
The consumers is going to pick up the tab for everything,
Natalio and his government is not good for the residents of this territory. We have to get rid of Natalio and his government. It is getting worse everyday. Are going to let this useless government kill us? We are better than this. Don’t let romanticism or sentimentalism (feelings of loyalty towards family). Natalio is my family and I am hoing to campaign vigorously against him and his government. My life, my peace and happiness matters, and we need the right environment to thrive and reach the ultimate pinnacle of a blissful life. We don’t even get water and he is announcing rate increase. Old people who retire 20 plus more years are living on a pension that makes it impossible to eat properly or live in decent accommodations, and Natalio will spend a million dollars on a party. I will end here, because a blind person can see that we are not progressing.
So you guys think that this situation is based on which government is in power? I’m not a VIP fan but this government is being honest with the people. When the others were there BVIEC and WSD had serious financial issues with millions of unpaid fees on the books giving people, including the government agencies ‘breaks’ all the time. All the government is saying is that playtime is over and they will no longer sit back and let the agencies suffer financially. If VIEWCO is providing reliable power and consistent water supply then the residents should be paying the market rate for these services. For vulnerable persons the government would do the necessary on their behalf. I really don’t see what all the hoopla is about. We are all feeling the pains of increased cost of living and it’s not just BVI, try going to the USA now and you will see. What would be helpful is if government can do a proper analysis and probably inject some funding into these agencies from the reserves to soften the blow to consumers, but to think that the cost of providing services will not be absorbed by those using the services is absurd. I know most won’t like my comment but that won’t change the price of water!
All that is fine…. unfortunately salaries are not increasing. The only ones who saw an increase were those on minimum wage; but the cost of living went up to compensate for such. Those who were barely making it still have to deal with increased in cost but still haven’t seen an increase on salary. Wonder why kids are left alone because parents now have to work 2 and 3 jobs just to afford necessities. When a man making $200000 a year can feel that wasnt enough to cover his standard of living imagine those of us living in the under $35000 range
them man say aya crying about water too much so since yall it fix take some higher expense in yah backside
imagine paying tax all these year hardly getting water and when them finally upgrade to charging you more
this country mehson
So Why They Don’t Say That They Will Cut Back On Entertainment Tourism And Not Invite Vybes Kartel And The Others To Come At Least For Two Years? Bet He Will Still Bring Them In And Not Pay With His Money But With The Peoples Money If The Culprit For BOA And Delta/Jamaica Don’t Get To It Before he Does.
No. People will not be paying for the cost of producing water. People will be paying for the incompetence of the government to manage public funds by causing millions and millions to be so called lost or spent on stupidness instead of focusing on the basic necessities and on the infrastructural integrity required to have access to basic things to ensure everyone can function in a normal society. Lorna’s switch is costing everyone everyday!
We the consumers is and will be paying for the billions of gallons of water that is constantly running down elevator hill. This place is sick.everyone here acts like they are so damn smart yet no one can come up with a solution to fix the water problem that is constantly running down elevator hill. Then and again someone may come up with a solution and the person(s) more than likely will be told they are trying to take someone’s job or telling them what to do. Bush people mentality is at a all time high in the BVI.
The idea is to force the non payers of water bills to pay buy cutting off their electricity supply , so now not only no water but no power.
LMAO, someone better figure out a way to divert that running water that is running down elevator hill to good use. That is such a shame how one of nature’s natural resources is being wasted like that. That is a sin.