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BROCKTON - A Brockton woman who received a $100,000 water bill from the city two years ago, setting off a firestorm of complaints after other residents came forward with what they considered outrageously high bills, has settled for $3,400.
Brockton woman settles $100,000 water bill
Seeded on Wed Dec 28, 2011 1:15 PM EST
Article Source: capecodonline.com - AP- Enjoy this article? Help vote it up the 'Vine.
- Public Discussion (15)
The high bills were the result of the city's practice of estimating water bills for 12 years rather than basing them on meter readings.
- 4 votes
#1 - Wed Dec 28, 2011 1:15 PM EST
What, they can't read the damned meters? That is THE most idiotic thing I've ever heard!!
- 5 votes
Absolutely ridiculous!
What gets me about a water bill.. is that they bill you for the water usage coming into the house, and then they get you for the water usage going out of the house (toilet).. sewer ...Something about that does not seem fair
- 5 votes
Something about that does not seem fair
No kidding! How the hell can they assess you for 12 years of usage that haven't even occurred yet, and then bill you for it!! SOMEone is lining their pockets with this @!$%#.
- 5 votes
http://www.enterprisenews.com/features/x640787766/Brockton-s-high-water-bills-spur-grassroots-movement
More info on it..
- 2 votes
Actual meter reading is a tough job, for sure... Many cities, like Louisville, use telemetry now, that, as the 'meter reader' drives past, uploads directly to a computer. A lot of smaller utilities just don't have the $$ needed to do that.
I'm glad she got it worked out. 12 years for $3,400 is not bad at all, about $23.61/month...
- 3 votes
#3 - Wed Dec 28, 2011 8:20 PM ESTI'm glad she got it worked out. 12 years for $3,400 is not bad at all, about $23.61/month...
Not if she hasn't used 12 years worth of water, though. I can see being assessed for what you've used, but not for future use. That's a pile of crap. And if she hadn't fought the bill, she'd be paying triple the going rate.
- 4 votes
Uh oh-- obviously I didn't read the story closely enough! You're right, they can't do that!!!
- 3 votes
Hey Dowser, based on the new info Par gave us in #1.4, you did read it right. I'm the one who got it wrong. The city is saying that they undercharged all of these residents for years. My take is that it's too damned bad. If the people running the water department were so incompetent that they missed 100's of thousands of dollars worth of billing, that should be on them.
- 3 votes
From what I understand from last night's news.. something like 6,500 customers were effected.
I look at it like this.. IF I purchase cigarettes at the store for one solid year every day.. they cannot come at me after a year and say.. Sorry, we undercharged you by $1.00.. IT behooves the town or any establishment to get it correct the first time around, and charge me accurately.. IT isn't up to me as a consumer to correct them...or make them whole.
I would fight that all the way to the Supreme Court if necessary.. I am not responsible for another doing the job that they were hired to do, unless I am the employer.
- 4 votes
Well, I agree with that. But, knowing how "things go", there will be a rate increase soon, I'd bet...
I'm sorry for this woman, and all 6500 customers affected. That's a real mess, and the water company needs new leadership, for sure!
- 3 votes
We have a 'meter reader' that is hooked up to a computer for water and gas. I am glad she got it worked out too.
- 3 votes
#4 - Wed Dec 28, 2011 8:24 PM ESTUnless she is running a water park, this sounds a little crazy.
- 2 votes
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