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The Small Business Association has reacted with alarm to the National Water Commission's request for a 51 per cent increase in tariff from the Office of Utilities Regulation (OUR).
The NWC has put its approximately 500,000 customers on notice that it has applied for the massive increase in tariff.
President of the Small Business Association of Jamaica Garnett Reid has described the request as "unconscionable."
Reid told Radio Jamaica News that such an increase would be particularly onerous at this tie, given that so many individuals and busineses are still grappling with the effects of a severe drought and the fallout from Hurricane Melissa.
He said the NWC should consider the potential impact of the proposed increase, warning that it could place an additional financial burden on consumers and small businesses already facing economic challenges.
Mr Reid is urging the NWC to replace its deteriorating pipelines to reduce water loss, rather than placing an additional financial burden on consumers.
OUR's response pending
The OUR says it will communicate its decision to the NWC's tariff application within ten days.
The OUR confirmed that it received the tariff application on Friday, October 16, adding that it will conduct an initial assessment to determine whether the application meets the requirements for a tariff review, in both form and content.
It said it may request additional information from the NWC before deciding whether to formally accept the application for review.
The NWC last applied for a tariff review in 2018, with the OUR publishing its decision the following year.
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