THE National Water Commission (NWC), which is seeking a 40 per cent rate hike, will need to explain to the public the need for a rate revision at a series of public consultations being organised by the Office of Utilities Regulation (OUR).

The consultations, the OUR said, would also allow the regulatory agency to hear questions, comments and feedback from consumers.

“These consultations have traditionally yielded valuable information on quality of service standards, perceived levels of efficiency and other dimensions to the utility service, thus allowing the office to analyse representations made by the commission,” the OUR said in a press release yesterday.

“It is only at a tariff review that there is an opportunity for the office to revisit standards of service and quality of service issues. This review will also address recent calls for the inclusion of wrongful disconnection as a guaranteed standard,” said the OUR.

The agency said that as soon as it was satisfied that it had sufficient information to review the water tariff, details of the NWC application and a schedule of consultations would be published.

The NWC in 2003 sought a 50 per cent rate hike, but was granted a 26 per cent increase by the OUR, effective January 1, 2004, which was to have remained in effect for three years, ending December 31, 2006.

Earlier this year the NWC wrote to the OUR requesting an extension of the 2004/2006 tariff, which granted the extension to the end of this calendar year.