Illegal water connection? WASA offering an amnesty

THE Water and Sewerage Authority has launched an amnesty programme for customers and people with illegal water connections to regularise their status and avoid disconnection, penalties and possible legal action under the Water and Sewerage Act.

In a statement issued today, the authority said the amnesty period will run from Monday 3rd December, 2018 to Thursday 28th February, 2019.

The amnesty will apply specifically to:

People with illegal connections i.e. people who have an existing water service connection but who are not registered as a customer of the authority;

Customers with unregistered swimming pools i.e. customers who have swimming pools but have not indicated the existence of same to the authority;

Customers who are VAT registered i.e. customers who conduct a VAT-registered business and are currently classified as a residential customer.

Under the act, people with illegal connections, unregistered swimming pools and who operate a VAT-registered business but maintain a status as a residential customer, can face a one-year retroactive charge or disconnection of their service. However, during the amnesty period, these charges, as well as WASA’s right to disconnect will be waived.

Anyone falling within the specified categories is asked to visit any WASA customer service centres.