KINGSTON, Jamaica – The public has been advised that, in keeping with the July 29, Determination Notice of the Office of Utilities Regulation (OUR) regarding the National Water Commission’s payment compliance initiative, the NWC is taking steps to remove all late fees that had previously been applied to customer’s bills.

In a release Thursday, the commission said it wished to point out that all bills now being received by customers with a calculation for late payment fee will be adjusted to remove such amounts and that the process is already under way.

As a result, customers need not pay any late fee appearing on their bills which become due before August – the new start date approved by the Office of Utilities Regulation – according to the release.

Customers are urged to pay the amounts due, minus any late payment fee that may appear on these current bills.

At the same time, however, customers are reminded that water bills not paid on or before the due dates beginning August 27, will attract late payment fees of J$250 to appear on their September and subsequent bills.

On July 14, the OUR requested that the NWC delay the implementation of its payment compliance initiative – the Early Payment Incentive/Late Payment Fee – with immediate effect.

However, the NWC had already started applying the late fee to customers’ bills.

The OUR in a release on July 29, said, having completed its review of the NWC’s proposal, an effective date of August 27 was decided on, giving customers 30 days’ notice before its implementation.