Watercare Prematurely Deducts $6.14 Million From 43,835 Accounts
Watercare apologized after a billing system upgrade error led to the premature deduction of $6.14 million from nearly 44,000 Auckland customer accounts.
A billing system upgrade error caused Watercare, a council-controlled organization in Auckland, to prematurely deduct approximately $6.14 million from 43,835 customer accounts on Monday. The glitch triggered direct debit and credit card payments up to 18 days before their scheduled due dates.
Watercare has apologized for the inconvenience and implemented manual controls to prevent further premature payments while working with its system provider to restore normal service. The organization is offering immediate refunds to customers experiencing financial hardship, though those receiving reversals must manually pay their bills by the original due date.
Consumer NZ criticized the organization, stating that Watercare failed to provide services with reasonable care and skill under the Consumer Guarantees Act. The watchdog suggested that customers who incurred bank fees as a result of the error should be reimbursed. Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown expressed disappointment, noting that he expected better performance from the organization.
