Disconnections to start this month

By MAX KILIWA
WATER PNG says it will disconnect water to about 4,000 homes, including commercial and large properties, in the National Capital District (NCD) that are using water through illegal connections.
Chief commercial officer Paul Gore said yesterday that the 12-month operation would begin this month.
He said the operation would focus on illegal connections and customers who had illegally reconnected to the water supply even after having their meters removed and being disconnected.
Gore urged NCD customers to have a water meter and a billing account in place, otherwise, they would be considered as illegally using water.
“If they have no meter and billing account, they are illegal connections,” he said.
Gore said Water PNG took measures last month to ensure customers paid their outstanding bills based on a formalised connections agreement.
“Despite this arrangement, nothing has been done and they are still using water illegally,” he said of the illegally-connected households and businesses.
Gore said Water PNG was the city’s sole water supplier and urged all users to pay their dues for the service which was expensive to maintain and improve.
He said a penalty fee of K561 would be charged for meters to be installed and outstanding bills had to be settled in order for water to be supplied.
Gore appealed to customers to come forward by responding to their notices to re-install the meters.