Public Utilities Minister Marvin Gonzales says the Water and Sewerage Authority must rethink how it treats with concerns from citizens, specifically in resolving damage claims.

It follows a court ruling on Monday which ordered WASA to pay nearly two million dollars to a Laventille woman after her home was destroyed by a leaking water main back in 2003.

Minister Gonzales says citizens should not be made to drag through the judicial system, adding that WASA has a responsibility to assess claims of damage and seek to settle out of court when and where necessary.

“This is a poor woman from Laventille, and recently we had another poor citizen, I think from Penal, that would have been allowed to drag through an entire judicial system, paying a lot of money to their attorneys and their legal counsels to represent a very powerful authority that has the financial resources to defend themselves.

“I think WASA should really look at their approach in how they manage these things and resolve those matters between the citizens and the authority so that we do not have to reach to this stage.”

The Minister has ordered an audit into the Authority’s litigation, revealing that WASA’s legal counsel is currently managing approximately $100million worth of claims.