In parts of Effingham County, Ga., residents say ordinary water bills have surged to two or three times their usual amount, and the county has not explained why.
Here's what to know
Effingham County resident Leslie Wells told WTOC that her charges went from double to triple their usual level, while fellow resident Buddy Clayton said one bill came to nearly $600.
According to Wells, who has lived in Effingham County for 11 years, the charges don't resemble what her household was billed in the past.
"Starting early summer, we noticed that our bill doubled, and I was just monitoring it, and then when I got the next bill and it was tripled we were concerned. And we went back and pulled our old bills from a year ago to see if they were consistent and it was not consistent," Wells said, per WTOC.
Clayton's efforts to get answers left him feeling that the county expected payment before offering a clear explanation.
"That's why I went down there because they kinda blew me off on the phone. And when I went there I didn't even get to go back to the office they sent a representative up to the waiting room and she had a copy of the bill which I already had and I knew what they payments were because I was making them. It was pretty much dismissive and this is your water bill and it's pretty much you pay it or you get it turned off," Clayton explained, according to WTOC.
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More background
Before deciding the problem might be on the county's side, Wells said she checked whether something inside her home could explain the increase. An employee in the tax commissioner's office told her she "must have had a leak," but a plumber later found no leak in the house.
Wells emphasized that it was difficult to get in touch with the county. She said several emails she sent to Effingham County bounced back, so she kept calling month after month.
Clayton ran into a similar dead end. After phone calls failed to resolve the matter, he went in person to the county commissioners' building, where a representative met him in the waiting room with a copy of the bill he already had.
What's being done?
County officials said they are aware of the complaints. In a statement, Jake Zeigler, director of Public Engagement Services for Effingham County, said that "Effingham County and EOM are aware that some households have recently experienced higher-than-normal water bills," WTOC reported.
The county said it is "actively investigating these concerns to identify potential causes and determine appropriate corrective action, if any," per WTOC. It added that "the circumstances may vary from household to household," so it is reviewing accounts individually.
The county told residents who believe their bills are unusually high that they can call Customer Support Services at 912-754-8080 to have their accounts reviewed.
Wells told WTOC she wants a faster response, especially if the higher charges stem from an error affecting multiple households across the county.
"I feel like if they actually are interested in making things right and if this is actually an honest mistake, then there would be a rush to fix it, to reimburse people and to make sure going forward the bills were accurate," she stated.
Where can I learn more?
Residents in other communities have run into similar problems with steep water bills and disputed utility decisions. Coverage includes unexplained bill spikes, approved rate hikes, summer pricing, and contested meter fees.
• In Terry, Miss., one resident saw his water bill jump overnight from $28 to $179.
• In Cumberland, Md., officials moved ahead with water and sewer bill hikes despite residents' objections.
• In California, a homeowner cut water usage, but summer pricing tiers drove a $637 bill higher.
• In Potosi, Texas, residents challenged a $4,500 meter demand tied to threatened shutoffs.
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