The "Big Boss" At The City Of Cleveland's Division Of Water Is Now Under Scrutiny

Courtesy of rabesphotostream/Flickr

The "Big Boss" being Mayor Frank Jackson. The "Big Issue" being those nice new water meters. (You know, the ones that will be used to un-screw up the screwed- up water bills.)

From Cleveland.com;

"Attorneys for Aclara RF Systems Inc., filed a lawsuit this week in Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court claiming administration officials favored Itron and have secretly given the Liberty Lake, Wash.-based company the job despite assurances to City Council that no decision has been made." More

This makes me ask the next logical question;

Who were the geniuses that won the contract for the "new billing system" that the water department's own customer service reps can't figure out how to figure out.

(Say that last sentence 5 times fast) Now you know how I feel after my monthly call to customer service to get an explanation of why my bill is so high. And so wrong.

Comments

[Evelyn Rice]

We all know that the City of Cleveland, Division of Water is cheating us of our heard earn dollars. I just talked to them about a shut-off notice (because it is past due for one billing period) for a rental property. My home is on E-Z Pay. Guess what, you get no breaks (payment arrangements) for rental property, although they have increased the bills by more than 300%. Tenants cannot afford rent increases of 300%. During the conversation, I am also told that my meter at my home stopped working in 2009 and that is why the bill for my home that I just received is only $77.00 (its an estimate). When asked if I was sent a letter regarding the meter, I was told "we might have sent you a letter." Now I am told that someone will replace the meter; I am told to call in the reading in December for a comparison to the average old usage and they will decide if I should be billed for back usage since 2009. These people (customer service reps) have no choice but to defend the craziness that is going on in that department --it is ther job. The Mayor and Commissioner should be called to answer this. The economy is a wreck and they are robbing us.

[David Wesner]

After having consistent water bills for several years, never more than $220/billing period, I got this bill for $514. I called to complain, and was told someone would come out and "check for leaks." Well, someone did come, a lady who left a blank card and just asked whether it was an "estimate" or "actual read." They never tested for water leaks, if they ever do. I know this high reading is a mistake, but they said I have to pay it. This looks like a simple money grab.

I also learned that the more water I save, the higher my bill will be. Does this not fly in the face of logic? Can anyone bring sanity to our water dept?

[Barbara Walters]

I have been trying for over a year to have my water bills straightened out, get service to investigate why a $500.00 bill for 1 person and $700.00 for 2 adults and 2 children, a new meter was installed in Jan 09 and that's when the problems started, can't get a return call from anyone...have written several letters, paid on the account (not in full)know I would never get my money back and now being threatened with water turn-off..made a payment and check returned, said they couldn't match acct number, checked number was correct..payments not being applied to accounts and on and on....what can we do to resolve this matter...I think we need to file a class action suit against the City of Cleveland, maybe then these problems will be resolved..I refuse to pay these high bills when I know it's the City's errors..........

[Gary Bpissed]

Wrote a short story about my fun with the Water Departmetn----I got cannot I'm sorry post your dated Since 2007 and an intercepter that flooded homes

[Gary Bpissed]

why can't I post here?

[cindy stelmaschuk]

My son and daughter-in-law have been in their brand new house in a brand new development for over a year now and still have not received even one water bill nor has anyone else on their street! Some of the homes are just now getting their water meters installed.....what gives? They are all afraid of getting smacked with a huge bill some day, which none of them will be able to pay at one time....many of them have tried to get in contact with the water department, but no one gets back to them....what gives?

[renee piccola]

Someone please help me! 3 people in our house for the last 18 years. In April, I didn't get my bill. I have spent over 4 hours using up my cell phone minutes trying to find out where it is. 6 weeks ago I got hold of someone who said they would send the bill right out, and that they would have a supervisor call me. That was 6 weeks ago. 2 days ago, on a Saturday at 8 am, a supervisor did call. I She left a garbled unintelligible message and sounded drunk. I had no idea who it was, I had to dial the number to find out who was calling! Today my actual wait time on hold was 51 minutes, although the recording said my estimated wait time was 18 minutes. The woman said my bill is pending, because I have to have a meter investigation because I have received 5 estimated bills in a row so that is not allowed. She stated that when that happens, they don't generate the bill, they wait for you to call them so that they can do an "investigation". Why am I suffering because they didn't read the meter? She wanted me to take time off of work so I could be there on the treelawn while they do their "investigation." Can anyone please help me?????