On 20 July 2023, the Ombudsman Commission received a complaint from a resident alleging that the water supply to her property was unlawfully disconnected by Water PNG Limited without reasonable cause. The Complainant alleged that a senior employee of Water PNG had used his position to his advantage and instructed the Company’s plumbers to disconnect the water supply into the property.
The Complainant further alleged that the senior employee of Water PNG Limited is a party to the Court proceeding which involved the property in which water was disconnected and that the employee had used his position in the Company to disconnect water running into the property in dispute.
The Complainant also alleged that the senior employee had a conflict of interest in the matter and his instructions to the plumbers to disconnect water was an unethical decision made with malicious intention to cause suffering to the Complainant. She requested the Commission to assist her resolve the issue.
It was alleged that a Court proceeding involving the ownership of the property was still pending. In contrast, the defendant in the proceeding who is the employee of Water PNG used his position to disconnect water.
The Ombudsman Commission’s investigation revealed that the Complainant sold her property to Water PNG Limited’s employee on 14 August 2022 and she failed to allow the possession of the property to the new owner and the new owner had filed eviction proceedings against her.
While the matter was pending determination at the Courts, the new owner used his position to disconnect the water connection into the property in dispute. The Court dismissed the eviction proceedings in February 2023 and the water connection had not been restored despite the Court decision.
The Ombudsman Commission intervened and informed the senior employee of Water PNG not to use his position to his advantage.
The Commission highlighted the potential conflict of interest situation to the employee and he accepted the advice,
The Complainant was also advised by the Company to pay the outstanding water bills which she paid, and the water connection was restored to the property.
On 24 October 2023, the Commission received a confirmation letter from Water PNG Limited advising that water to the property was restored.