Mistakes have been made

The water rate increase was not permitted here!

(symbolic image)

(Bild: dpa/Oliver Berg)

After the water rate in St. Jakob im Rosental was increased, although this was not decided, the water cooperative now admits to making a mistake: the rate increase was not actually permitted!

There is a lot of excitement in St. Jakob im Rosental, and the water supply is to blame. The tariff for the water rate - which had only just been increased from 1.30 to 1.50 euros - has already risen to 1.70 euros (see facsimile) according to the latest invoices. "There is no basis for this," protest residents. "Only the general meeting can decide that. There was one, but the people involved were totally at odds."

In St. Jakob im Rosental, residents have recently started paying 1.70 euros per cubic meter of water.

(Bild: zVg)

Mayor Guntram Perdacher sits on the cooperative committee: "The increase was definitely not decided at the meeting."

Several problems
But that is not the only criticism. When the number provided was called back, nobody answered for days. A new computer program has been installed, but nobody knows how to use it. There are also problems with the bookkeeping, say those affected. "You have to constantly check everything because there are so many errors."

The error has now been clarified and the water rate in St. Jakob im Rosental remains at 1.50 euros. As reported, the water cooperative had increased it again to 1.70 euros without any basis in the last invoices.

"Variants to rectify this"
However, only the general meeting can decide to increase the rate. And according to committee member Mayor Guntram Perdacher, this was not the case. "It was a turbulent handover," says the new chairman Robert Sereinig. There are 700 connections in St. Jakob im Rosental, "we have found a few ways of sorting this out. In some cases, customers only need to pay 1.30 euros on their next bill until everything is refunded," says Sereinig.

The water cooperative will have to correct a few things in future, as residents are criticizing even more. "I've already received three bills, all of which are unfortunately incorrect," says one affected person.