Dubai: Residents of Golden Mile 1 to 4 on the Palm Jumeirah were yesterday left without water for almost five hours due to non-payment of Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (Dewa) service charges.
“This morning we woke up without water,” Golden Mile 3 resident Dounia Baha told Gulf News.
“I had to go to a friend’s house so I could take a shower. I live alone in the house so I can’t imagine what it would be like for those who have children.
“I pay all my bills on time so Dewa has no right to deprive me of these services. I think this is their way of putting pressure on those who have not paid their service charges yet.”
Dewa officials have twice visited the up-market residential area in the past month with the intention of cutting off supply but the building management managed to get a reprieve on those occasions.
But on Dewa’s third visit yesterday, the supply was cut off at one meter.
“The building meter was disconnected at 10am,” Alastair McCracken, chief executive officer of Novus Community Management, said.
“Representatives of the developer stepped in to make the payment soon after learning of Dewa’s actions. Power to this single meter was reconnected by 2.30pm.
“This disconnection has caused obvious and genuine inconvenience to innocent tenants in the building, and to those owners who have paid their service charges.
“Novus will continue to do all it can to avoid the disconnection of any services to buildings under our management.”
But McCracken stressed that they can only do so much.
“Payments of utilities invoices cannot be made unless there are sufficient funds in the account of the Owners Association to pay the costs of the building,” he said.
“Owners who do not pay their service charges are willfully causing this inconvenience to their neighbours and colleagues.”
