African Utility Week: Incomprehensible Utility Bills Could be Empowerment Tools
Summary
“The utility bills of South African municipalities are, for the most part, incomprehensible with wide fluctuations in the reported use which can seldom be explained satisfactorily when queried.” “The majority of accounts do not identify numbers as Rand, a meter reading, consumption or an unknown code for office use only.Says Pombo-van Zyl: “Municipal accounts – the billing system – are wonderful management resource tools which, if used efficiently, can be very effective in reducing water consumption and increasing revenue.“The utility bills of South African municipalities are, for the most part, incomprehensible with wide fluctuations in the reported use which can seldom be explained satisfactorily when queried.”“The majority of accounts do not identify numbers as Rand, a meter reading, consumption or an unknown code for office use only.This does not serve customers and render many accountsincomprehensible,” Slabbert says.“The use of non-standard abbreviations and unexplained acronyms and symbols, which are common to South African municipal accounts, exacerbates the confusion for customers.“Meters are not read every month, and estimates are then made.Says Pombo-van Zyl: “Municipal accounts – the billing system – are wonderful management resource tools which, if used efficiently, can be very effective in reducing water consumption and increasing revenue.