Residents in Ajman and Umm Al Quwain face higher utility bills

Residents were informed of the increased charges, to come into effect from this month, for water and electricity in leaflets delivered with last month’s bills from Fewa.

Residents of Ajman and Umm Al Quwain face higher water and electricity bills this year after the Federal Electricity and Water Authority (Fewa) announced new tariffs for the Northern Emirates.

They were told of the increased charges, to come into effect this month, in leaflets delivered with last month’s bills.

“We are grateful they took the task to notify us and we did not just find ourselves with increased and unexplained tariffs,” said Mohammed Sadiq, of Karama in Ajman.

“But still the increases are going to be stressful this year with almost everything going up.”

Umar Badini, a resident of Rashidiya in Ajman, said the rise in utility bills, even by a few dirhams each month, coincided with increases in rents and the general cost of living in the Northern Emirates.

“I have a very tight budget and can no longer afford paying extra money in utility bills every month,” said Mr Badini.

He said he was prepared to cut the amount of electricity he used in cooler months, but was worried about the charges in summer when his home’s air-conditioning units work almost around the clock.

“Still, I need to do more cuts especially with the air conditioner once the hot season sets in,” Mr Badini said.

The increased charges apply only to expatriates. The tariff for Emirati residents remains unchanged.

Fewa’s note to customers stated: “The electricity and water consumption tariff for some consumer categories has been revised, starting from January 2014.

“This is in line with our goal to help the UAE become a global leader in conservation and efficiency.”

Under the new tariffs for electricity, a monthly bill for up to 2,000 kilowatt-hours will rise from the current 20 fils for each kilowatt-hour (kWh) to 23 fils.

For bills of between 2,001 and 4,000 kWh, the rate has increased from 24 fils to 28 fils a kWh.

For water use, tariffs increased from 3 fils a gallon to 3.5 fils for monthly use of up to 6,000 gallons.

Households using between 6,001 and 12,000 gallons of water will pay 4 fils, up from 3.5 fils, and homes using more than 12,001 gallons of water a month will pay 4.6 fils a gallon, up from 4 fils.

Charges have also increased for businesses in the Northern Emirates.

Taji, who runs a laundry in Rashidiya, said he was considering increasing prices to cover the higher tariffs for water and electricity, but feared he would lose customers.

“We have not yet decided on what new prices,” said Taji. “Our problem is that we have no solidarity so some of us may increase and others don’t. That simply means we shall be out of business for increasing.”

He said the municipality’s health inspectors should carry out strict checks around Ajman when the new fees were charged, as some grocery store owners could be tempted to switch off their refrigerators in the evening, which could put the health of customers at risk.

More than 1,200 shops were visited in Sharjah last year and 83 fines handed out to owners for turning off refrigerators used to store food. Inspectors also confiscated 720 kilograms of food that had gone bad as a result.

Fewa could not reached for comment.