Astronomically High Water and Sewerage Account
I have just received my January monthly rates and water bill from City of Cape Town to the tune of R 4311.53.  This for a small house in Milnerton where our water and rates bill is normally between R 400 and R 800 per month (depending on the time of year - electricity excluded, I have a prepaid). I contacted the call centre who advised that I needed to do the 'meter test' - over a 2 hour period, there was no movement on our meter. Therefore an underground leak is not the problem. The call centre basically told me that the reading is accurate and if I want to dispute I will need to send my meter away for testing at a cost of R 1000 paid upfront. I understand that meter readers take 'monthly averages' but to be slapped with such an astronomically high bill is ridiculous. They told me that the since the last accurate meter reading in October to Jan, I have used 151kl (thats 150000 litres!) I do not own a swimming pool! I normally use between 10kl and 20kl a month. What are my next steps? I simply cannot afford to pay this unbudgeted amount!