Barbados Water Authority System Error Causes Customer Overcharge, Prompts Call for Audit

The discovery of a system error that resulted in a Barbados Water Authority (BWA) customer being overcharged, has prompted calls for a comprehensive audit at the state-run water company to determine how many more might have been affected.

The cause of the error was discovered during a Fair Trading Commission (FTC) investigation after St George resident Richard Collymore complained that billing errors by the BWA started in August 2018.

In a letter to Collymore dated December 30, 2024, and signed by FTC utility analyst Fiona Scantlebury, the commission revealed its findings that indicated the errors began a year later.

“Our investigations revealed that a system error was responsible for the miscalculation. The issue was rectified, and a credit in the amount of $37.16 was applied to your account. This adjustment represents a recalculation of the water charges for the period September 2019 to November 2024,” the FTC told Collymore.

Without going into any detail, the BWA confirmed the complaint had been made and an investigation conducted by the utility regulator.

“The Barbados Water Authority (BWA) receives customer queries via the Fair Trading Commission (FTC) from time to time. These are investigated and the appropriate action is taken as necessary. This particular situation was one of these instances,” the BWA said in a statement prepared for Barbados TODAY and issued by Marketing Officer Yvette Harris-Griffth.

It added: “The BWA remains committed to continually enhancing its customer service and will continue to review its operations to ensure that they meet the needs of our customers.”

Collymore, who also referred his situation to the Barbados Consumer Empowerment Network (BCEN), said the impact of the error is an overcharge to customers using less than 12 cubic metres of water; an undercharge to those using more than 12 cubic metres and for commercial customers, an undercharge of the water charge and consequently, an undercharge of the garbage and sewage contribution levy.

“Given that this is a system error in a database of over 100 000 accounts, I think that the FTC in good conscience should conduct an investigation with the view to correcting the miscalculation of all bills issued from 2018 to 2024,” the customer suggested.

“The error affecting the bills was contained in the calculation of the bills days which is an essential component in the calculation of the water charge. The bills days for various months were overstated with some years having more than 370 bill days.”

BCEN is contending that serious questions can be raised about the adequacy of the investigation and whether all affected customers have been appropriately compensated based on its position that the problem began a year earlier.

“The financial implications over a six-year span are staggering, affecting a database of over 100 000 accounts. Such a widespread issue exposes inefficiencies within the BWA’s internal audit systems and the oversight mechanisms of the Auditor General’s Office. Customers deserve a thorough, independent audit of all bills issued between 2018 and 2024 to ensure fairness and accountability,” argued the executive director of the consumer advocacy group, Maureen Holder.