RIC invites WASA comments

The Regulated Industries Commission (RIC) is inviting comments from the public about service standards for the Water and Sewerage Authority (WASA). In a release yesterday, the RIC said as part of its remit, it is responsible for prescribing and publishing standards for services of the utility. A Quality of Service Standards (QSS) Scheme was first proposed in 2003 to ensure that WASA provides and maintains an acceptable level of service to its customers.

The Commission said the standards were finalised after an extensive consultative process. However they were never published in the TT Gazette and the RIC is now engaging in a second round of consultation. The QSS covers broad areas of concern to customers. These include the minimum water supply to be provided to customers; the time in which complaints are to be resolved; time in which a request for connection should be completed; and time to restore supply after an unplanned interruption.

The RIC said it uses a consultative approach in which stakeholders are invited to comment on the draft standards before they are finalised and published. Members of the public are invited to the peruse the draft revised standards and provide comments and feedback to the Commission.

All comments must reach the RIC by October 23. The full draft standards document, as well as a summary of the standards, can be downloaded from the RIC’s website. A printed copy can also be obtained from the RIC’s office at the Furness Building in Port of Spain.