OREANDA-NEWS. February 02, 2011. The National Competition Protection Agency has obliged the Apa-canal Chisinau JSC to install water consumption counters at consumers’ homes at its own account. Viorica Carare, the Agency’s director, said at the briefing that the respective decree was issued by the Agency on Tuesday following the investigation of the situation with the rise in prices for socially significant goods and services.

The National Competition Protection Agency established that Apa-canal Chisinau dominating in the market has been breaking the Law on protection of consumers’ rights obliging the supplier to install water consumption counters at its own expense.

The enterprise has also been illegally earning incomes for citizens making them pay its losses in the networks, doesn’t recognize the water meters which passed standardization obliging consumers change them for another counters from the list offered to them and making them pay additional sums as a difference between readings of the house water counters and the apartment water counters.

The Agency’s director called the replacement of the counters which passed certification illegal, underlining that they can be used till the end of the 5-year operation life stipulated for them. According to her, under the law, Apa-canal Chisinau is to install efficient and accurate counters at its own expense. Otherwise, a part of the enterprise’s income can be exacted through the court.