Is The Cleveland Division Of Water Drowning In Paperwork? Are They Forgetting To Credit Their Customers Back?

Are some overcharged customers still being told they must attend a hearing in person, and waste even more time?

Am I only one of a handful of folks who has had the issue resolved? {After 6 months!}

If you are still getting the run around, add your comments below!!

They need to know. They read this!

Is it time for the TV people to get involved again?

And the Plain Dealer?

Comments

[mary]

Another comment about the water company is that I searched 211 for help and many other options and they have assistance for gas and electric - which also by the way I use little of and can not find assistance for a water bill. Any help

[mary]

Well, I received a call from Karen Cooney at the Water Department yesterday who asked if any of my concerns have been addressed or have I been contacted to replace the meter. I laughed and said "absolutely not". She was then able to arrange to have someone come out Friday morning to replace my inside meter but when looking at the readings yesterday, I almost wonder if it's the outside one that's messed up because it read the same number as it did 3 times in October and once in December. Will this ever end.

[Joel Libava]

Hi Mary Kay,

I am so sorry to hear about this. I suggest leaving a message on their vm, and also emailing them asap. If you think your bill is erroneous, ask if they will put it on hold. Look under the "Contact information" post on this blog for the email address.

JL

[mary]

well, I received a shut off notice today. After sending several letters to the water company in the last year. Don't have the money to get legal help. Why doesn't the water company just adjust these bills for their customers - me being a long-time customer at several residences and start from the beginning. I would be more than happy to monitor both my inside and outside meters on a regular basis just to satisfy them. I went on the internet to look for help with utilities and can not find one site that offers assistance with water bill. There are sites for electric and gas but nothing for water. My hands are tied and to top it off my husband lost his job on Thursday--- what to do??????

[mary]

i have since sent a letter of my own in october and received a response by mail the water company found my meter to be faulty and needs replaced but when i called the number on the letter, no one knew what i was talking about when i called but they made record of my call and would get someone to call me to replace this. in january 2010 i received a notice with a default and possible turn-off. i sent the water company copies of my last two letters to about 4 different addresses for them along with a note that i will not pay what they are asking and what I feel is my obligation at this point. i also can not attend a formal hearing as both my husband and i work mon thru sat and our only day off is sunday. maybe the "brains" at the water company can actually read all these dispute letters and understand where we "the consumer" are coming from. I hope so. In the meantime I did pay what I thought was my obligation based on my records and water company readouts (not). I want to start from scratch so i can really watch this.

[Joel Libava]

Thank you for sharing that important info. The billing is so convuluted that I don't even think the Water Department understand it.

JL

[Phil]

I have the same issue. But I have found the problem. If you look at your previous bills and they are estimates, look closer. If you paid for a unit but they did not increment your meter reading, then you are paying for units twice. Looking at your bill, if the previous meter reading and current meter reading are the same, but the consumption is listed as something else. You desire a credit when they do an actual. You arn't getting a credit. So you paid for 1 mcf of water and sewer but they rebill you for the same unit. And if you are like me, I had 7 estimated bills in a row and I paid for 7 units. They did an actual reading this time and they want me to pay for 7.5 units on this bill. The previous meter reading is the same on all the bills, but I paid for a unit each time. AFter an hour on hold and half hour on the phone. All I got was a meter check. "We can't look at your billing problem until we check your meter." I was told 20 times atleast. They problem isn't with the current meter reading I explained, it's with the previous meter reading. So now I wait 3 weeks for a meter check and then I'll be right back where I started. If this happened to me, then everyone who received an estimate bill (or serveral) and paid it then an actual and paid it; overpaid. This could means millions of dollars of overpayments by northeast ohioians!

[Joel Libava]

Mary,
I think yo have probably helped a lot of Cleveland water Division customers by posting your letter to said company on this site.

Thank you, and good luck. don't give up!

JL

[mary kurdila]

HERE IS A COPY OF MY LETTER AND PROBLEM.

August 31, 2009

Division of Water
P.O. Box 94540
Cleveland, OH 44101-4540

Acct #58323535003-3

For months I have been disputing the amount of my water bills. In February of this year we had 7 people living in hour home and the reading done on February 13 showed 6.5 usage. Now in August is shows 6.7 with 3 people living in the house. My son and I shower daily but my husband does not due to having a prosthetic leg it is very difficult for him so he washes and showers once or twice a week. Other than that, we do laundry once a week.

We had a person come out and check for leaks and the meters inside and out appeared to be fine. Apparently there is an issue and it is not being found. I need some answers because I can not afford these bills. I would be better off buying bottled water to brush our teeth and clean with.

Please provide bills and payments received since we moved in back in July of 2008. From Jan 6th of this year to August 10th I have located record of payments to Water of

$180 on Jan 6th in person
$100 on March 3rd
$100 on March 16th
$100 on April 29th
$100 on August 7th

Payments to Sewer

$150 on May 27th
$100 on June 19th
$100 on July 17th
$100 on July 27th

This is close to $1000 which I know is too much. My sister who lives on Indian Creek in Middleburg Heights has a household of 5 people and her bills were 100 each and she has a hot tub and I know does laundry more than me.

I can not come up with the money that is being billed and I know there are more customers that are receiving these same kind of bills with very few people in the house see www.adjustmywaterbill.com.

I look forward to your prompt response.

Mary Kurdila

[James Moran]

I wish they would get their acts together I was told that they could not adjust or credit my account even though it was their equipment that mall functioned then they replace their eqipment and further told they do this evey ten years I think thats horse puky and when you do call and try to arrange payment they tell you they only take half again horse puky I all i'm saying is for them to do whats fair for the consumer and the water dept and cleveland