City residents lose case about water bills

Eight Katutura residents who sued the Windhoek City Council about the city’s practice of estimating consumers’ monthly water use for billing purposes have lost their case in the Windhoek High Court.

The Municipality of Windhoek Water Supply Regulations of 1996 allow the City of Windhoek to estimate residents’ water use during months when water meter readings were not taken by city employees, judge Nate Ndauendapo found in a judgement delivered on Monday.

Ndauendapo dismissed a claim in which eight Katutura residents asked the court to declare that the City of Windhoek’s practice of estimating its customers’ water consumption during months when water meter readings have not been obtained is contrary to a section of the Local Authorities Act of 1992.