Amnesty for NWC Customers

The National Water Commission (NWC) is to implement a three-month amnesty for customers, commencing January 2, 2025.

The amnesty is for customers who have been disconnected for debts to the NWC for two years or more, who are pensioners or who are assessed as being in need based on the Programme of Advancement Through Health and Education (PATH) beneficiary identification standards.

“The NWC will write off the debt totally and waive reconnection fees. This will allow persons to reconnect legally and facilitate the transfer of titles where outstanding bills are a challenge,” Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation, Hon. Matthew Samuda, said.

The Minister was speaking at a post-Cabinet press briefing, held at Jamaica House on November 27.

Mr. Samuda said for persons who have been disconnected for longer than six months who come in and make payment arrangements, “we will discount that debt by 50 per cent or further, based on a needs assessment, and allow for up to one year for repayment”.

“This is aimed at giving relief to those persons who are suffering the weight of bills from major household leaks in the past. This amnesty will last for three months and will commence on January 2,” Mr. Samuda said.

Regarding pensioners, the Minister said for those who would have been disconnected because of high water bills due to leaks, the NWC will work with HEART/NSTA Trust and its tranche of trained leak detection specialists to go to the homes of pensioners, at no cost to them, to identify the leaks.

“Now, we think this is particularly important, so that pensioners do not find themselves back in the same position again,” he added.

Meanwhile, Mr. Samuda said the amnesty is not a knee-jerk reaction and is an expansion of an initiative that was undertaken by the National Water Commission over the last 12 months in Portmore, St. Catherine, in some of the quadrants where there were particularly high levels of Non-Revenue Water (NRW).

“We went in, and we’ve done our NRW work, but we still saw significant household usage and significant theft in some areas. We have seen where we’re able to bring back thousands of customers [who] were disconnected, through individual discussions. What this represents to the NWC is a national wholesale effort at having the conversation with Jamaicans that you can come in, we do care. We do think it critically important for you to be connected to the National Water Commission system formally, and we will offer relief,” Mr. Samuda said.

“This has represented an albatross around the necks of Jamaicans, and it is this Government that is seeking to reduce and, ultimately, remove this sum from them. It affects in excess of 155,000 customers, all with families. It has forced many persons to resort to either buying expensive trucked water, using rainwater harvesting where it was not necessary and, unfortunately, in many cases, bypassing water meters illegally,” he added.

Mr. Samuda said the initiative will return individual and legal connections to tens of thousands of Jamaicans and will return comfort and dignity to pensioners and those living below the poverty line who have been affected by this debt and disconnected from the NWC.

“It will reduce the need for purchase of expensive trucked water to those affected, whereby reducing the cost of living to those who are affected, who access water from trucking sources. As I had mentioned, it has been proven in our limited pilot project in Portmore that where amnesty and consideration and concern is offered, we are able to bring back thousands of customers and get them back into paying and getting access. So, this benefits the NWC, and it benefits citizens of Jamaica,” the Minister said.

He further noted that the initiative is in line with the national ambition for potable water access and the stated national imperative to reduce the cost of living.

“To ensure this amnesty does not overrun the normal operations of the NWC, a help desk and special line will be put in place. We will also make temporary capacity increases in staffing where necessary. Further, we will work closely with the Ministry of Labour, the Registrar General’s Department (RGD) and the National Land Agency (NLA) to ensure that those who qualify are verified. This amnesty offers benefit, by our initial estimates, to over 30,000 account holders,” the Minister said.

“We expect that number to increase and when that number is finalised, we will confirm same through the media,” he added.