Winter is finally here! Exorbitant summer EWA bills are a thing of the past! Well not for me. My water bill for this month is double what I have paid in the last several months.

I checked with other residents of the building and they all have the same issue. Higher water bill in the winter does not make sense to me so what does one do. Well, I checked out the EWA website and this is it says:

How does EWA calculate your bill?

The bill is calculated based on the consumption of electricity/water for a specific billing period.  There are three ways to determine your consumption:

An EWA Official reads your meter and we calculate your exact bill based on your actual consumption.

You submit your meter readings to us and we calculate your bill based on the information you sent us.*

If we don’t have a meter reading, EWA will estimate your bill. This is where inaccuracies can happen, as without a meter reading we don’t know your actual consumption.**

​​* If An EWA Official reads your meter after it has been submitted by you, the Official’s reading will be used to calculate the bill.

** The bill is only estimated if no actual meter reading is submitted or available.

Estimated Readings

EWA meter reading processes and procedures are in line with the International Standards set for the meter reading, we read the meter as part of customers' monthly billing cycle.

Bill estimation is a standard practice used by utility providers when an actual meter reading is not available for billing purposes.

However, there are times when we have to estimate your meter reading. If this happens it will be shown on your bill as an Estimated Reading with the letter (E) next to it.

Why did you receive an estimated reading bill ?

EWA Officials are able to obtain actual meter readings for most of our customers. The remaining are receiving estimated bills on any given month.

You may have received an estimated bill because EWA Officials are unable to access your meter. This can occur for a variety of reasons, the most common reason being that your meter is located indoors so our Officials are unable to access the meter. Other reasons include:

·         Weather conditions

·         No one at the premises

·         Bad road conditions

·         The meter is behind a locked gate/door

·         Pets, mainly dogs around the meter

·         Meter damage

·         Trees (palms) or plants

·         Difficulties in reaching the meter (obstacles: like parked cars)

·         Bared meters (especially ground water meters)

If an EWA Official can't access/reach your meter, a card will be left and a SMS will be sent to you through your mobile phone asking you to submit your meter.

Calculation:​

An Estimated Reading (E) will show in your bill when we haven’t received your meter readings. To estimate your bill we use smart equations, including your previous consumption, what time of year it is, the weather, and sometimes other additional adjustments.

Where possible, estimates are based on past consumptions, however estimated bills can sometimes be higher or lower, especially if the customer has recently had a new meter installed.

Bill Adjustments:

If you receive an estimated bill and would like your bill to be based on an actual reading, we are more than happy to adjust it with the actual meter reading provided by you and reissue your bill.

Is an estimated bill valid?

Yes, an estimated bill is valid and therefore payable just the same as a normal bill, our methods in estimating the consumption are in line with international standards.

Any required adjustment will occur in the following bill if an actual meter reading is captured.

Avoiding Estimated Reading:

You can help us to avoid estimation of consumption by ensuring that EWA Officials have access to your meter.

Here are some helpful tips:

·         Remove any obstacles or difficulties from the meter area

·         Keep dangerous pets (like dogs) restrained and away from the meter area

·         Check that your gates are unlocked and in good working conditions

·         Clean any dirt or mud over your ground water meters

·         Trim any trees, palms or plants around the meter area

·         Answer the door bell

·         Report any meter damage

·         Apply for meter reallocation

·         Send in the readings

It is important that EWA Officials have an easy access to your meter. To reduce the possibility of needing an estimated bill, please remember that you are required to allow access and keep the area around your meter safe and clear.

Read your own meter to receive an actual bill

If you receive a high estimated bill, you can read your meter and compare it to the estimated reading. If the estimated reading is much higher than your actual reading, please submit your account number, meter ID and the meter reading to us by using any of the following methods:

Online: www.ewa.bh

Email: customercare-ewa@ewa.bh

Phone: 1751 5555

Well, my bill didn't have (E) for an estimated reading next to it, so that isn't the reason for the spike in the bill.

While, I will be writing to the customer care at EWA and will update you with any response I receive, I would love your suggestions. Or if you have had a similar experience please help me feel better and share it in the comment box below.