The Office of Utilities Regulation, OUR is reporting a decrease in complaints by consumers in the first quarter of this year, in comparison to the similar period last year. 

In a release, the OUR noted that despite receiving 736 contacts from consumers it was 18 percent less than the corresponding period last year. 

According to the OUR, of that number, the National Water Commission, N-W-C, recorded the most complaints with 285, or 39 percent.  

The Jamaica Public Service, JPS was second with 262 complaints or 36 percent followed by Flow with 135 complaints or 18 percent.  

The remaining contacts were split between Digicel with 3%, private water and sewerage service providers and private telecommunications service providers with 4%.

The most significant decreases in complaints were in the categories of irregular supply, poor service quality and complaints about interruption of service. 

Disconnection was the only main category, with an increase in contacts of 20%.

According to the OUR, billing matters remained the main reason utility consumers contacted the Consumer Affairs Unit, with the NWC and JPS accounting for the highest number of billing-related matters.

It further noted that during the period, just under $53.4 million was paid out to affected utility customers for service breaches.

It said JPS accounted for 21,669 breaches, representing a 6% increase and the NWC accounted for 3,066 breaches representing a 35% increase.