By GRACE CHAILE LESOETSA
CHRISMAR Hotel Limited is alleged to have illegally reconnected its premises to Lusaka Water Supply and Sanitation Company Limited (LWSSC)’s network by removing the sewer plug which was used for disconnection, court documents have revealed.
LWSSC has now sued the hotel in the Lusaka High Court, demanding a payment of K371, 248.46 being the outstanding bill for sewerage services it provided.
The utility firm is also claiming interest, replacement of a six-inch inflatable sewer plug, costs of and incidental to the proceedings.
According to a statement of claim, LWSSC stated that Chrismar Hotel has been its customer connected to the water supply network under account number 01005006 and sewer network under 05033290 for sewerage service.
LWSSC said that the hotel was disconnected from the network because it has its own borehole for water supply, therefore has only been getting billed on its sewer account for sewerage services based on metered volumes.
However, on or about September 9, the commercial water utility company was forced to disconnect Chrismar Hotel after it accumulated a huge bill for sewerage services. The disconnection of the hotel’s premises from LWSSC’s sewer network was done using a six-inch inlatable sewer plug.
LWSSC observed that despite the hotel being disconnected, its sewerage bill kept increasing which prompted the firm to conduct an investigation.
“The investigation was conducted on March 11, 2021 and it revealed that the defendant illegally reconnected its premises to the plaintiff’s sewer network by removing the sewer plug which was used for disconnection. The said sewer plug could not be traced during the investigation,” it stated.
LWSSC said that Chrismar Hotel has refused or neglected to settle K371, 248.46 despite several reminders, therefore has suffered loss.
