20-year water bill rebels face credit black mark
Print Edition
HOUSEHOLDERS in Yangpu District who have refused to pay their water bills for almost 20 years face having a black mark on their personal credit records, the local water authority said yesterday.
Some 20 households have not paid since 1995, and are in arrears to the sum of 142,000 yuan (US$23,200), the Shanghai Water Authority said.
Residents in 215 to 229 Liangzhou Road refused to pay for tap water after getting water pipes replaced themselves.
One resident, surnamed Yu, said the 20 households shared a single water meter installed at his home. All the water bills were sent to his address, but none of his neighbors were willing to pay.
“I have collected nearly 150 water bills at my home,” Yu told Shanghai Television.
The water authority said it could install separate meters within a week and would waive an additional fine for late payment, but residents refuse to accept the offer.
Under Chinese law, householders can face heavy fines if they deliberately refuse to pay water or electricity charges.
“If residents keep refusing to pay, the water authority will get that recorded in their social credit record,” said Chen Guoping, management department director with the Shibei Water Co.
Chen said once an account has a black mark, it would be more difficult to get bank loans, low-cost housing and other services.
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