Businesses must have water meters if efficiency is to be achieved - Elliott

Ulster Unionist MLA Tom Elliott has said that businesses must be metered for their water usage in the future if efficient, reliable billing is to become a reality. He was speaking after becoming aware that some business currently charged for water based on their capital value were billed well over and above other premises that used a similar amount of water but had meters.

The Fermanagh and South Tyrone MLA said: "This issue about water metering and the differences in totals across premises was raised with me by disgruntled business owners from across the constituency. In some cases, business people who have more than one store found that different premises were been charged ranging values for their water despite using similar amounts. In some cases the differences in the total charged amounted to over £500, whereby those being charged on capital value were in excess of £700 and those metered were less than £200."

"With the impending introduction of water charges, confidence in the ability of Northern Ireland Water to run things efficiently and effectively is vital if the public are going to be expected to trust those in charge. Discrepancies such as this do nothing to help ease fears and only serve to heighten tension."

In addition to this issue, Mr Elliott was also made aware by some business owners that premises that don't even have water or sewage connected were also being billed. He has been told that where some businesses have separate stores with no water or sewage connections they have received water bills. For Mr Elliott this revelation only serves to create further doubt about the ability of Northern Ireland Water to efficiently structure the future billing for the entire country.

He went on to say: "It was bad enough to be told that bill's could vary by tremendous amounts, but to also learn that some premises which do not even use water are been billed really means that questions have to be asked. The business owners affected have a right to know how this situation was allowed to develop and what measures are going to be taken to address it with immediate effect."

"Failure to answer these questions will result in a justifiable lack of public confidence in Northern Ireland Water. How can the people be expected to trust officials who can't provide the high quality service needed? Everyone is aware of the deep hatred that exists towards the introduction of Water charges. The last thing we need is further agitation caused by the belief that their introduction is going to be complete disaster."