Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) in the Western Region has taken 28 defaulting customers in the Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolis to court, for failing to pay water bills, totalling GH¢327,579.39.
The defaulters included hotels, churches, government institutions, transport companies, private individuals and residential customers.
A statement issued by the Central and Western Regions Communication Manager of the GWCL, Nana Yaw Barima Barnie, copied the Ghanaian Times, on Friday, said the customers where mostly those who have defaulted payment between two and six years and have even been disconnected.
It said the customers have refused to pay their water bills despite strenuous efforts the GWCL made, including demand notices and reminders served on them to collect the arrears.
The statement said that customers who were properly served and appeared in court have had judgments delivered against them at the various courts in Sekondi and Takoradi.
The GWCL said others, who were served, but failed to appear in court, still had judgment pronounced against them in their absence.
"Even before the lawyers of GWCL activate the execution processes to retrieve the judgment debts, some of the accused customers are running to the company's offices to either settle their bills in full or make part payment" the statement said.
It said the company has retrieved GH¢66,962.73 while other customers pleaded for payment plans agreeable to GWCL.
According to the statement, a major transport company (name withheld), which was owing the GWCL GH¢25,572.49, had rushed to pay GH¢5,000, and agreed to pay additional GH¢5,000 every fortnight until the entire bill was settled.
It said that a customer whose arrears was GH¢13,646.56, paid GH¢13,000 out of the amount, while two customers whose separate bills were GH¢3,728.73 and GH¢2,798.14 respectively, settled their entire bills immediately.
The statement said "Management of GWCL hopes to make it a great disincentive for customers to default in the payment of water bills in Western Region."
The GWCL cautioned that it will spare no efforts to rid its books of all defaulting customers.
