Oudtshoorn, 23 August 2022 – The Financial Department of the Greater Oudtshoorn Municipality received a lot of queries on the August 2022 municipal accounts with regard to the water tariff charges. There is a misperception from the community that they are metered and billed for water from 17 September 2022, which is not the case.
Breakdown of municipal account: (See attached example)
Annually, with the commencement of the new financial year (01 July), water consumption in the old financial year (i.e. until 30 June 2022) is billed on the tariffs of the previous financial year, and water consumption in the new financial year (i.e. from 01 July 2022) is being billed at newly approved tariffs.
Municipal consumers have a misperception that they were billed for water from 17 September 2021 (see extract below). The below example’s consumption period is from 21/06/2022 – 20/07/22. This consumption period will differ from the area – area depending on when the meter reader read in the area. The date 17/09/2021 illustrates the date when the municipality amended its water tariffs from drought tariffs to normal water tariffs. The tariffs charged on the consumption are therefore the normal water tariffs for the financial year 2021/ 2022.
The date 01/07/2022 shows the consumption on the new water tariffs for the 2022/ 2023 financial year and is also billed on the mentioned tariffs. The date of consumption from 20/06/2022 – 20/07/2022, spans over two (2) financial years, so it would be wrong of the municipality to bill the total consumption only to the new financial year’s tariffs. This is therefore the difference between the two dates, consumption and tariffs on consumer accounts. With the increase in tariffs, clients will possibly experience that their bills are more than usual because billing is conducted, according to what the consumer’s consumption is.
Submit readings via WhatsApp
Clients can submit their readings via WhatsApp at 072 6263 296, before the 10th of every month. The account number, name, address and date read must accompany the readings. Please report all services to deliver queries to the customer department on 044 203 3090 during office hours, and after-hours on 044 203 7800.
We urge residents to make use of this option if possible.