Panel to advise on water bills

The company that will provide water services to Aucklanders under the Super City has set up an advisory group to investigate ways of helping customers struggling to pay their bills.

Watercare Services will take full responsibility for supplying water and treating wastewater in the proposed new council set-up - a move away from its current wholesale water operation, acting chief executive Gary Swift said.

Former Governor-General and Anglican Archbishop Sir Paul Reeves will chair the consumer advisory group.

"Our job is to provide advice to Watercare so that they can have an appropriate collection policy, and we want to help," he said.

The panel's job was a difficult one as it covered ethical and economicconcerns.

"At the end of the day you can't turn water off, it's vital to life.

"The collection policy [of Watercare] must recognise the social and economic circumstances that their customers find themselves in."

Watercare said it could not comment on the size of the problem of people unable to pay their bills.

But current provider, Metrowater, said it had seen a steady increase in problems in the year to May.

The average arrears amount is $600, and those behind in their payments accounted for about 2 per cent of the company's customers.

Metrowater manages customer debt through reminder letters and phone calls to customers, offering payment plans and information about how to conserve water.

Customers are also referred to the Metrowater Community Trust, an independent body set up to support customers.

Otara Budgeting Service finance advisor Fuifui Apoua said she saw a lot of people having difficulty paying their water bills.

"A lot of people are using our service because of big changes in their water bill. They are mostly people on benefits."