I finally made it out to my mailbox today, and there is a new water bill.

As expected - it's screwed up; however, it appears the readings are looking correct.

They are still insisting on the amount they overcharged me last month (perhaps my conversation with them didn't come in time for the billing dept to make an adjustment?), and they are charging me a late fee.

I guess I'll have to get on the phone this week to speak with them about it. sigh......

New Water Meter

I was just in the back property turning off the water main (leak in the backyard spigot) and noticed there is a new water meter.

This is all fine and good but.....

How un-customer service friendly the water company is for not bothering to even hang a tag on my door telling me this was done - and giving me the ending reading of the OLD METER and the new reading of the new meter. Argh!!!!!!!

So, now - when the next bill comes - I have no freaking idea where I stand.
Nice.

I read the meter at 82.
I don't know how long it's been in, but it can't have been that long.
It would have to be sometime between the 5th of February and the 26th.

Last night there was a message on my answering machine from a Ms. Renata of the water company who asked if I would call. It wasn't a toll free number - so I have to use my cell phone, and I hoped I didn't stay on hold like I usually do (T-mobile to go 10 cents a minute adds up).

This morning, after having breakfast and a little meditation to brace myself for negativity - I dialed the number.

Ms. Renada listened to everything, and she said that she received the email (the one with all the attachments to documents showing what a hosed up mess this whole thing is). She told me she can see that something is amiss and that she will investigate - and get to the bottom of it. Best of all - she said she'd call me and tell me what the problem ended up being.

Please let her be the one who can resolve this once and for all.

Last night there was a message on my answering machine from a Ms. Renata of the water company who asked if I would call. It wasn't a toll free number - so I have to use my cell phone, and I hoped I didn't stay on hold like I usually do (T-mobile to go 10 cents a minute adds up).

This morning, after having breakfast and a little meditation to brace myself for negativity - I dialed the number.

Ms. Renada listened to everything, and she said that she received the email (the one with all the attachments to documents showing what a hosed up mess this whole thing is). She told me she can see that something is amiss and that she will investigate - and get to the bottom of it. Best of all - she said she'd call me and tell me what the problem ended up being.

Please let her be the one who can resolve this once and for all.

Called the water company today to find out the latest - and to talk about the recent Termination Notice.

Called at 9:15am
Rep picked up at 9:31am - spoke with Deborah

I asked if I could speak with Simona, and I was informed she is no longer with the company (figures).

I asked Deborah to please review my account. She said she does see that Simona asked me to pay $36.36, but she doesn't see an adjustment made to the account - and since Simona is no longer here - she can't check on it (how convenient for the company).

She said she would, now, do an adjustment though.

I asked to speak with a supervisor.

Jose came on the line (I've spoken with him before, but this time he seemed to be more interested). He apologized, and he said he would push the adjustment through. I asked him if he knew what was causing all this, and he said he didn't. I told him how frustrated I was and that I attached information with my bill but it seems to fall on dead ears. He told me his manager is familiar with how everything works, and he might be helpful. I asked if I could email him. He gave me his name and then the dreaded csc-customercare@xxxxxx email. I said ummm - no, I emailed this address twice without a response. He said I should try again. ugh.

Heh......

Today my bank sent me notification that my payment check was submitted. It cleared 2/19. I sent this check to them on the 9th.......

Also this morning I got an automated message from the water company saying they got the email I sent them last night - and that someone would contact me within 1 business day (right....they said that last time, so we'll see)

Today I got yet another notice of service termination. In Neon Yellow again - and with their usual stern language.

I have yet to hear back from this company in reply to the email I sent (I addressed it to the customer service dept. AND three reps at the company). Not even a reply to say "hey, we got your email, and we're looking into this". Shameful.

Oh yes, and they haven't cashed the check I sent on the 9th to pay what I owe for my bill. I checked in my online banking - it isn't there. My husband said I was stupid for not sending it registered (won't make that mistake again - I'll do it electronically or send it registered.

So anyway - the document will appear below, and here are links to all the documents regarding this issue:
DOCUMENTS FROM 2009
DOCUMENTS FROM JAN 2010 TO PRESENT

I'll call on Monday and deal with the termination notice as well as find out what's up with my last payment (if I was a conspiracy theory person I'd wonder if they shredded that check just to make me look bad......but I'm not that kind of person). I am also going to begin composing a letter to my Representative Edmund Kuempel. Maybe he or his staff could at least tell me how I can get myself heard to some authority figure that oversees these water companies.

I really am so pissed off right now. Here it is 11:41pm Friday night and I'm writing this because I can't sleep over the stress this is causing me - - and I have to be at work at 8:30am tomorrow. I just want to scream.

Today I mailed my bill & payment of $36.36 along with the complete package of paperwork of everything that has gone on so far (including copies of documents) and a letter to the water company. I can't believe I didn't send it registered mail (Marcel told me I should have). I just feel like I've wasted so much time and money so far - - it's not fair I should have to fork over even more just to make sure these people get my stuff. I haven't paid by check in a long time. Jeez, I hope I'm not sorry......

I also sent an email today to the customer service email address Simona gave me along with a public relations person for the water company (found her email off their website. I attached a link to this blog. Hopefully someone is listening out there and will help solve this.

Another Visit From Mr. Holiday

The meter reader came this morning just as I was leaving the house for work (10:45am). As much as I wanted to - I couldn't say and read the meter with him. I did stop to chat briefly. It was Mr. Holiday again - he's done all the re-reads from the beginning. I feel like he's an acquaintance at this point. I said "welcome back" and it's ridiculous we have to do this each and every month. I asked him if he knew what the problem was (I'd asked him this before).

He said he thinks he will request a new meter be put in. This might, somehow, solve the problem. I told him that I thought the problem was that nobody is reading the meter. He said he didn't think that was the issue. I told him why, then, is the incorrect amount from the previous month being used as the beginning reading the next month (even after a re-read is submitted) - then a completely bogus number being put in as ending - month after month after month. He didn't answer - and I didn't have time to discuss it with him (though I would have liked that - he's nice, and he seems to be sincere).

So, here is the reading - pretty much as I though (though we are off by 1k - probably since I read the meter 2 weeks prior - and/or the rounding up process - - I think he originally was going to put 492 and scratched it out and replaced it with 493 - - either way, it's nowhere near what the bill is showing).

Talking with Simona

This morning I called the water company. I have to say - I was dreading it. Everytime I call I have to explain the situation - and usually over and over because the person on the other end doesn't seem to "get it".

I spoke with Simona today.

I started the conversation by asking her if she has my account up - and would she mind reading through the log notes so she could understand what's going on to date. She wanted to know what she was catching up on. I told her my readings have been off for several months now, and eacgh month I have to call and request a re-read - then hassle over getting my bill fixed so I will pay the proper amount.

Simona said there was no record of the re-read done on January 13th. She said she saw that a re-read was done - but no figures were in their records as to what that reading was. She put me on hold to contact dispatch to get the reading. (apparently the data is not getting uploaded to the system).

She said it is not possible to adjust anything in the record until the reading comes back. Then - I'll probably, once again, get a bogus bill - and perhaps another re-read. She can put an extension on the account, but I should understand that is only guaranteeing the water doesn't get shut off - it is a band-aid .. not a fix.

She scheduled the re-read. I asked if the person could come before 10:30am so I can talk with them. She said she'd put the request in (but can't guarantee it).

Her advice to me is to email the customer service with a complaint explaining the situation. (she gave me the address). She said this is the way to get this situation actually resolved. Calling each month to patch an incorrect bill isn't going to solve anything.

She said I need to pay the base charge before the deadline. She told me the amount is $36.36. That's before any water (which is, I think, $2 per thousand gallons). I offered to pay for what I think I used for water (based on my readings), but she said it would make things simpler by just paying the base - then paying for what they determine water usage is when they determine it. I am guessing this is going to result in another one of those "you didn't pay" bills - but she said it - and I am told they record all their service calls.

So, I am going to get all my docs scanned (most already are) and I will compose an email. Maybe I will give a link to this blog - it has most of the pertinent information in it.

Well, it's something.
Let's see what happens.

Here we go (yet again) :-(

Got my water bill in the mail today.

Remember how we established that the CORRECT ending reading was 491 last month - then there was the talk with the rep who assured me that everything would be straightened out on the next billing?

Today's bill...............

Previous Reading 579 (sigh - they never changed it to reflect corrected ending reading)

New Reading 596!!! (I went out to the field and read it at 492 on the 22nd of January)

THESE PEOPLE ARE NOT READING MY METER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Adding insult to injury they are showing me a balance due of $16.60 from last month carried forward because I didn't pay the incorrect bill last month (you know, the one that was CORRECTED??????). Fuck, this just makes me want to drive over there and thump some people on the head.

AND..... they are trying to charge me a "late fee" of $1.66

New bill $2.36
They say I used 17 THOUSAND gallons of water when, in fact, I used 1 thousand.

I've decided to scan all documents to date and post censored copies of them (keeping intact copies in a private folder on Photobucket). This includes bills, meter "re-read" documents etc. etc. - and, if I can figure out how to do it - I'll recored phone conversations as well. I'd like to sue for emotional stress - or at least to recoup the time and energy I'm spending on this each month due to those morons' incompetence.

So, here is the latest bill (some info blacked out for privacy - even though I'd love to plaster that companies name and phone number on billboards and sides of buses saying
BEWARE - this company will make your life a living hell
I'll share un-protected documents if I need to - and in any packages I put together to send to the company, the better business bureau, any consumer group I can find, and my local government rep (this is a public utility afterall).

(I guess you can click on this to see it larger)