News
Utilities moving to e-billing to shave costs
Three Government utility service providers, the National Water Supply and Drainage Board, Lanka Electricity Company (LECO), and Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB), have taken initiatives to discard the traditional system of printed bills given to households and move to an online system.
Ceylon Electricity Board’s (CEB) Additional General Manager Hemantha Ranasinghe told the Sunday Times that through an e-bill, other overhead costs associated with physical bills, like transport costs, import costs, and taxes, are eliminated.
CEB will first implement it in Dehiwala, Kelaniya, and Kotte, from July 1.
A statement will be sent to consumers via SMS after the meter reading. Also, a pdf version of the e-bill will be sent via e-mail. All the details that are present on the physical copy of the bill will be displayed on the e-bill PDF version.
Mr Ranasinghe requested that the public register their phone numbers and e-mails with the CEB.
Registration for the SMS can be done as follows: SMS: type REG<space> followed by your A/C Number. Send it to 1987.
Email- visit http://ebill.ceb.lk and follow the instructions.
Going digital: CEB and the National Water Supply Board. Pix by Eshan Fernando
LECO, is to launch a pilot project by simultaneously sending both an e-bill and a printed bill. Later, steps will be taken to ensure that only the e-bill is in place.
Also, further information on services can be obtained via the official website (www.leco.lk). Consumers can register for the SMS service by sending an SMS to 071 4643 643 with Reg space> Account Number.
The National Water Supply Board is also planning to eliminate the printed paper bill.
Ekanayake Weerasinghe, the additional general manager of recovery in the NWSD, told The Sunday Times that the project of eliminating the printed bill is currently underway, and a reduced size of the bill project has already started in the North and Northeastern regions.
“This started during the economic crisis, when the importation of paper was difficult. In this reduced-size paper bill, all the information present on the usual bill is displayed in a smaller font size,” he said.
The NWSDB is in discussion with Mastercard about providing a special discounted rate for consumers who pay their bill online using their card.
Of the 3 million connections they have, only around 50,000 are registered for e-bills. “This figure has to increase to stop the printed bill system,’’ he said.
Also, they have associated with the post offices islandwide, enabling consumers to pay their water bills upon submission of their e-bill SMS through post offices.
He said the board is suffering losses because of unpaid outstanding dues.
“Most importantly, this is the only utility organisation that gives a cashback percentage offer for bill payments made within the first 14 days of receiving the bill. Also, a penalty of 2.5% is added when the bill is not paid within 30 days of receiving it,’’ he said.
Further, a monthly instalment system with a few local banks to receive the payment for getting a new connection is currently being established.
“To register for SMS services and an e-bill, consumers can send their twelve-digit account number and the e-mail address to 071 939 99 99. Also, from their mobile app, further bill payments and information could be received.’’
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