ST THOMAS, Jamaica — The National Water Commission (NWC) says, as at the end of June, a total balance of $8.1 million in outstanding charges is owed on the 89 accounts it has registered on its system in Logwood, St Thomas.

NWC said the balance represents charges for the last four years.

Additionally, the commission said it has removed 26 illegal customers from its network during a two-day operation carried out in the community recently.

NWC’s Revenue Recovery Manager, Ferdinand Kennedy, pointed out that his department will continue to aggressively treat with the problem of delinquency and theft as a matter of paramount importance as the company moves to maintain a level of operational efficiency.  

He urged people who are illegally connected to the network to visit the NWC to have their services regularised.

“Those persons who have expressed that they do not see the need to pay, are not only robbing the entity of revenue but also their neighbours of a more consistent water supply,” he added.

According to NWC, delinquency and theft contribute significantly to the financial losses that the commission faces from year to year and must be tackled on a continuous basis to get the desired result.

Customers who are facing challenges paying their bills are encouraged to visit a commercial office where amicable arrangements may be made to settle outstanding balances in order to avoid lengthy court actions, unnecessary costs and embarrassments.

 The company also urged people not to connect illegally to its systems and also asked the public to report any suspicion of an illegal connection to any office of the NWC or its 1 888 CALL NWC toll-free number.