The Virgin Islands Water and Power Authority will issue bill in March that represent a sixty-day service period, and will offer a special payment plan, the utility announced.
WAPA’s announcement said the authority is rebuilding and restoring both its automated metering and billing systems, which were severely impacted by the 2017 hurricanes, and efforts continue toward full restoration.
The 60-day bill covers a normal billing that WAPA is behind on, and no one is being required to more than they would have paid normally.
“The 60-day bill, beginning with those issued on March 10, 2020, will allow the authority to recover more than $20 million in payments that are due for electrical and potable water service that has been provided but which has not been billed,” said Chief Financial Officer Debra Gottlieb.
“WAPA must move to address the amounts that remain unbilled and uncollected to allow the public utility to meet its own obligations and maintain electrical and water services to residents and businesses in the territory,” said Executive Director / CEO, Lawrence J. Kupfer.
No one is required to pay two months at once. It’s a 60 day bill but customers can arrange to pay half by the due day and the remainder the next three monthly bills.
Customers enrolled in the payment plan, must remain current with the regularly issued monthly bills, the WAPA announcement added.
Since the full amount of the 60-day bill will be due 20 days from the bill date, WAPA advised customers enrolled in Auto Pay are advised to visit the Customer Service offices to make the necessary adjustment to their automated payment if they wish to take advantage of the three-month payment plan.
The authority also said customers wishing to establish the 60-day bill payment plan must visit the authority’s Customer Service offices during regular business hours and prior to the due date on the bill. The offices are at Sunny Isle on St. Croix, The Marketplace on St. John, and at Port of Sale Mall on St. Thomas.
To contact WAPA by telephone: on St. Croix, call 340-773-2250, select option 5; and on St. Thomas, St. John, Water Island, and Hassel Island, call 340-774-3552, select option 5.
To provide additional opportunities for customers to participate in the payment plan, the authority said it has increased the operating schedule of “Service Saturdays,” which will take place March 14, March 28, April 4 and April 18. On “Service Saturdays” customers can complete payment arrangements, pay bills, and seek clarification regarding both water and electric bills.