A $9000 water bill would more than likely force me to consider alternate means of indoor plumbing. That’s probably something Atlanta, Georgia resident Blayne Beacham should look into after clashing with her water company over an insanely bloated bill that has blossomed to outrageous proportions since the problem began last year.
Beacham, who owns a three-bedroom cottage in the Buckhead area of city, had gotten used to paying her $100 water bill over the years. However, when she received a statement for $497 last July, she assumed it was a clerical error. Concerned that something might be seriously amiss, Beacham contacted her water company in order to address the issue. Unfortunately, they claimed there was absolutely nothing wrong with the bill, and, as a result, she was responsible for the entire amount.
As the year progressed, the amount of her water bill began to inflate in a most unnatural manner. By December, Watershed Management stated that she owned a whopping $758. By April, her bill has risen to an astounding $2585. Thinking that she had a leak in her somewhere in her cottage, Beacham hired an inspecter to have a look at her property. According to the specialist, everything was a-okay, indicating that something must have gone wrong at the water company.
“We called the water department and worked out an agreement where I would pay them $120 a month until I could get a court date,” she explained.
Although the previous amounts were pretty insane by anyone’s standards, particularly for a simple three-bedroom cottage, nothing could readily prepare Beacham for her June bill. The total amount due: $9,000. According to the statement, $2,638.68 was from previous invoices and $6,705.72 were brand new charges.
Watershed Management claims they are looking into the matter, and plan to investigate the water usage meter they installed at Beacham’s home. However, since the cycle doesn’t end until July, she still has a while to wait until she knows whether or not she’s stuck with the entire bill.