A nightmare in the form of a water bill. That is the feeling that F.C.T has after receiving a charge of 1,538 euros from Canal Gestión, for a water bill corresponding to the period between May 4 and June 30. The complainant, who decided to return the receipt, assures that the Canal Gestión technician was the one who warned him that he possibly had a breakdown in the installation, having an “exorbitant” consumption, since he usually paid less than 20 euros per month.
When checking the water installations of the home, he realized that the cistern had a serious breakdown, having broken the buoy that controlled the entry of water from the external pipe, so it continued to enter non-stop throughout the month. However, since the cistern itself has drains, it did not have overflow problems, which would have set off the alarms earlier.
Canal Gestión then informed him that he had to contact an authorized plumber, and that he would send them a breakdown report, warning him that only 40% of the total consumption would be deducted for it, since the rate established for domestic loss is lower. In fact, with the usual rate, the bill would have been around 3,000 euros.
In this regard, the company maintains that this is what is established by the rates approved in 2011 by the Water Consortium, and emphasizes that it is the only one authorized to modify them. In addition, they point out that the company's technicians are the ones who usually notify users of incidents, although they must "be attentive" to any type of anomalies in their water system.
Regarding the rates, they are established based on the section of water consumed and the type of consumption. The current rates in force since 2011, establish that in the Domestic Rate, when passing the section of more than 40 cubic meters of water, the cost amounts to 3.69 euros per cubic meter (six times more than the minimum section), thus penalizing high consumption.
In the case of the Domestic Loss Rate, which is applied when there is a breakdown, the maximum section (above 40 cubic meters) is reduced to 2.09 euros, but the complainant considers this discount insufficient, since a rate much higher than his usual water consumption is still applied, which does not usually exceed 11 cubic meters. In these cases, up to 10 cubic meters are charged at 0.60 euros and from 11 to 1.03 euros, so he is paying triple per liter, despite having been an involuntary leak.
In addition, this man questions that the only solution the company gave him was to propose a split payment plan. “I am self-employed, I have my expenses, a family and a child. I cannot afford that bill and even more so when it has been due to a breakdown”, he says.
Until September 3 to make the payment
However, the surprises did not stop there, and a second call from a Canal Gestión technician increased his suspicions. “Another technician called me, informing me that I had no expenses on my meter in the month of July. He said that the meter was defective and that they were going to change it”, he says.
At that moment, F.C.T called the company's administration again, informing them of the fact, although their response was not what he expected. “I told them that they had changed the meter, so there was a problem from the beginning. They replied that since I had sent the breakdown report, they could only deduct 10% more. It's a shame”, he denounces.
“Nobody guarantees me that this breakdown in the meter could or could not affect the abusive consumption of that bill”, asserts F.C.T, who has decided to take legal action against Canal Gestión Lanzarote. “The only solution I have found has been that of my home insurance, which, by giving me legal coverage, allows me to initiate a legal process against them”, he adds.
For its part, the company has indicated that it has until September 3 to face the payment or, failing that, make a payment plan to pay the debt in installments. “If I don't pay that day, I will receive the first supply cut notice”, he claims to have been warned.
He also considers that his case is not isolated. “I have spoken with many people from Lanzarote, and I know several people who have had something similar happen to them and with the same result. I hope that my testimony will serve to make known the reality with Canal Gestión of many Lanzarote residents”, he concludes.
