Estimated water bills can cost homeowners big time
Estimated billing could lead to monthly overcharges or undercharges, resulting in a big bill. For some consumers, paying an estimated water bill is like tossing money right down the drain.
Occasionally, meter readers can’t access a meter because of inclement weather, obstructions or dogs present when no one is at
In those instances, the water company will instead estimate the customer’s usage based on previous readings.
However, many water companies are also employing estimated readings as a cost-saving measure. Instead of taking actual readings, some companies are instead estimating their customers’ usage for months at a time.
This leaves many homeowners paying too much for water they don’t use or paying too little and being hit with a huge bill once their meter is read.
In 2008, a group of Indianapolis Waterworks customers filed a lawsuit against Veolia Water, which manages the city-owned water company, for overestimating their usage. Veolia is required by the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission to provide actual readings once every other month, but some customers didn’t receive one for several months at a time. The suit was recently dismissed because Veolia’s contract is with the city and not the public. Those customers are now considering suing the city’s Department of Waterworks.
There was a similar dust-up in San Diego, where residents paid $1.67 million in overestimated charges during a three-and-a-half year period after the water company switched to an estimated reading system in 2003. It took as long as 18 months for customers who were overcharged to receive credits.
And overestimated bills aren’t the only problem. The Yonkers, N.Y., Water Bureau overhauled its municipal water meter system in 2008 to ensure more accurate readings after years of under-estimating usage. Affected customers eventually received bills for the difference, some as high as thousands of dollars.
Some cities, like Chicago, Detroit and New York, are eliminating the need for estimated bills by equipping every home and business with automated meter reading systems.
Customers who are unsure if their bill is being estimated should look for an “E” or “EST” code next to the latest reading on their billing statement. Most statements include a list of codes on the back to spell out the meaning of each. Those whose meters are being estimated should contact their water company immediately to determine why and request an accurate reading.
If their water company doesn’t give them the answers they want, homeowners can contact their state utility regulatory commission or local consumer watchdog organization, like New York City’s Coalition for Water Bill Justice.
In Lehigh, FGUA is not under the oversight of the Public Service Commission. However a bill has been introduced to bring the utility under the control of the Public Servic Commission.
Five tips to getting an accurate water bill:
If you notice you are receiving estimated water bills:
Contact your water company to determine why your bill was estimated. Ask for an actual reading the next month.
Keep your meter clear of obstructions and keep pets away from your meter.
If you are overcharged for previous estimated readings, you should receive a credit for the difference.
If you are undercharged and receive a bill for the difference, be sure you are charged the correct rates for the dates billed and not the likely higher, current rate.
You can also read your meter yourself. Determine when your next meter read date is, then record all of the numbers on the dial, which reads like an odometer, on that date and track it throughout your billing cycle. You can then compare your own reading to that provided by your water company.
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