From March this year, Moesceda Brown’s water bill went from R778.70 to the latest amount of R8 207.49 – which she claims is “horribly wrong”.
She said she had tried getting answers from the City of Cape Town without success.
“My husband and I are doing everything in our household to save water. This water bill keeps increasing and we cannot understand why.
“I mean, I only shower myself three times a week. We have water-saving measures all over our household, and we even collect water to use in our house,” she said.
“How is it that we have gone from R700 to R8 000 in a matter of three months?”
Ms Brown said the City told her that the meter outside her Duke Street house might be taking the wrong reading or malfunctioning, and an official would come out to investigate.
But it’s been more than a month since she first contacted the City and by the time Tatler went to print this week no one had come out to check the meter.
The City said Ms Brown had been billed for “actual readings” on the water meter.
Spokesman Luthando Tyhalibongo, said Ms Brown had contacted the City on April 5 and had been advised to apply for the meter to be tested. She would have to pay for that test.
“Should the meter be faulty, the City will reimburse the resident for the cost of the meter test. “The customer has an option to either pay for the meter test or to make payment arrangements on the account.”
But Ms Brown remains puzzled and said: “The City has yet to respond to me, and have been saying that they will come out and check the meter. I don’t actually know what to do and will have to seek answers elsewhere.”
She also denied the City’s claims that her consumption had increased.
“I want the City to explain why my water bill was very low one month and sky rocketed the next two months, when we know for a fact that we do not use that much water in our household. There is a problem with the readings, and I want the City to resolve this matter before I can decide what I need to do.”
