Banda Aceh News | ACEH BESAR — A customer of the regional water utility company Perumdam Tirta Mountala in Darussalam District, Aceh Besar Regency, has lodged a formal complaint after receiving a water utility bill that spiked dramatically within a single billing cycle.
Ardiyan, the subscriber in question, stated that his monthly water bill typically hovers around Rp 29,000. However, his billing statement for October 2026 skyrocketed to a staggering Rp 1,645,000.
“I was shocked. Last month it was only Rp 29,000, and suddenly this month it’s Rp 1,645,000. Even through the BSI mobile banking app, the exact same amount appeared,” Ardiyan said on Monday, November 9, 2026.
Based on official documentation issued by Perumdam Tirta Mountala on November 9, 2026, the staggering balance was recorded strictly for a single billing period—October 2026—broken down into Rp 1,645,000 for water consumption and Rp 3,000 for administrative fees.
Crucially, the issued statement omitted vital billing metrics, including the initial meter reading (stand meter awal), final meter reading (stand meter akhir), and total volume consumed in cubic meters (m³), which normally serve as the lawful basis for utility calculations.
“I asked for a detailed breakdown of the meter readings. The document only shows the grand total without any indication of how many cubic meters were allegedly consumed,” he noted.
Independent Inspection Confirms No Leaks
To rule out domestic pipe damage or overflow, Ardiyan conducted an independent inspection of his business premises. Photographs of his Itron Multimag water meter (serial number 161479) registered 1532.72 m³. Crucially, when all faucets were completely closed, the meter dial remained entirely stationary, verifying that no leaks or water wastage were occurring from his water storage tank (toren).
“I tested it myself. When all taps are closed, the meter needle doesn’t move. That means there are no leaks. The water tank isn’t overflowing either; the float valve is still in perfect condition,” he explained.
Due to the unexplained discrepancy, Ardiyan has withheld payment, demanding that municipal authorities verify the data.
“I haven’t paid it yet because I only want to pay what I actually used. If this is a clerical error in recording, please correct it,” he urged.
Ardiyan noted that this was not an isolated incident. Back in June, his bill spiked to Rp 470,000—a jump he tolerated at the time—only for utility costs to normalize back to Rp 27,000 the following month, and Rp 29,000 in September.
“If my consumption was genuinely excessive, it wouldn’t immediately plummet back down the very next month. The pattern is identical: an unexplained monthly spike followed by immediate normalization,” he added.
When Ardiyan visited the local PDAM branch office to request a printed log of his meter readings, he claimed staff were unwilling to provide the transaction history or open his October usage logs to clarify the recurring billing spikes.
Wider Public Frustration Over Opaque Utility Billing
Similar grievances were echoed by Salbiah, a resident of Krueng Barona Jaya District, who reported an unexpected hike in her utility statements without transparent justification.
“My bill used to run around Rp 90,000 for two months, but now a two-month cycle jumped to Rp 157,000,” Salbiah complained.
Both customers urged Perumdam Tirta Mountala management to provide transparent, itemized calculation formulas rather than issuing lump-sum demands without accountability.
Field observations at the PDAM branch office confirmed growing public friction, with multiple local residents arriving to protest sudden, unexplained utility arrears lacking detailed administrative explanations from customer service representatives.
