Senate Majority Leader Kenneth Gittens called on the VI Water and Power Authority to immediately address ongoing problems that are causing citizens to struggle with unreliable services and significant billing discrepancies.

In a letter to WAPA CEO Karl Knight, Gittens expressed serious concerns about the utility’s business practices, which he said have increased the financial burden on consumers, according to a press release from the senator.

“Over the past few months, numerous residents have experienced significant discrepancies in their utility bills, causing significant stress and financial strain,” Mr. Gittens wrote. He formally requested that WAPA stop the practice of estimating utility bills and charging customers for back payments. In his opinion, these practices clearly violate local laws on billing and customer rights.

Mr Gittens criticised WAPA for calculating bills without adequate justification or proper notification to consumers. He said this method not only undermines billing accuracy but also places an unfair burden on customers. “Rebilling for services already provided but not correctly billed undermines consumer confidence and violates the principles of fairness and transparency that should guide the work of utility companies,” he said.

According to Mr. Gittens, his office has received numerous complaints from customers who continue to face unresolved billing issues despite multiple attempts to resolve their problems with WAPA’s customer service department. These complaints come at a time when WAPA’s reliability in providing consistent water and electric service is increasingly being questioned.

“It is unacceptable that customers have to bear the financial consequences of an unreliable service,” said Mr Gittens. He warned that if these practices continue, he will consider legal action to protect the rights of affected customers. He called on WAPA to immediately correct the problems and implement more transparent and accurate billing practices in line with the law.

In his communication to WAPA, Gittens formulated several concrete demands, including:

1. A thorough review and control of recent invoice statements to identify and correct any errors back to April 2024;
2. Clear and transparent communication about the cause of these discrepancies; and
3. Assurance that appropriate measures will be taken to avoid future billing problems.

In addition to his direct appeal to WAPA, Senator Gittens urged affected customers to document their billing issues, keep copies of their bills, and file formal complaints with the VI Public Service Commission (PSC). “It is imperative that the PSC be informed of these injustices in order to hold WAPA accountable and ensure regulatory oversight,” he concluded.