In a startling turn of events, residents of Machap Umboo have been left bewildered as a routine water meter replacement project has led to excessive increases in their water bills.
A resident with the surname Dai (transliteration) took to the village’s Facebook group to voice their distress, revealing that their household water bill for the previous month had escalated from RM14.64 to an alarming RM20,179.59.
Apparently, this case is not isolated, as it has emerged that the Dai household, typically home to just two occupants, was not the only one to face such an unexpected and unmanageable increase.
The project, undertaken by contractors from the Malacca State Water Company, aimed to modernise the village’s water meter system but has since sparked widespread outrage and concern among the local populace.
More than one report received
In an interview with China Press, Cai Wenbo (transliteration), the village chief of Machap Umboo, disclosed that the water meter replacement operation commenced about three months ago, targeting the replacement of outdated meters throughout the village.
Following the swap, numerous villagers reported their bills had not just doubled but, in some cases, surged from the usual 10-20 Ringgit range to between 100 and 200 Ringgit.
The increase in water charges has caused alarm and dissatisfaction among residents, prompting urgent calls for a billing anomalies review.
“The shocking rise to tens of thousands of Ringgit is outrageous,” Cai stated, addressing the community’s concerns.
He suggested that the newly installed meters might be malfunctioning, leading to inaccurate billing.
Cai also mentioned that, according to his observations, only a minority of the village, about 30%, has seen their water meters replaced so far.
The State’s assemblyman in action
He has reached out to the Malacca state assemblyman representing Machap Jaya, Ngwe Hee Sem, seeking assistance to negotiate with the water company and address the pressing issue.
In response to the outcry, Ngwe announced plans to instruct the Melaka Water Company to conduct a thorough investigation into the matter, particularly focusing on the Dai household’s exorbitant bill.
“I will request a comprehensive review of the household’s water bill history to determine the root cause of this issue,” he stated, emphasising the need for clarity and resolution.
Meanwhile, Cai Wenbo has advised villagers affected by the spike in their water bills not to panic.
He reassured them that the water company would adjust the charges based on historical billing rather than enforcing the payment of inflated amounts.
Additionally, the company has committed to replacing any faulty meters that have led to unreasonable billing increases, free of charge.
In a follow-up post, Dai said her problem is now solved with the help of the village chief and the state’s assemblyman. Her bill turned out to be only RM11.33.
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