HI,

I got a bill for $1299 for a period from 6/7 to 9/2 in 2011, NO leaks no open faucets, no leaking toilet, etc. The billing is $5 dollars per 1000 gal, so the $500 on water would be 500/5 =100x 1000 or 100,000 gal? I am going to small claims court to dispute it. Any advice?

LINDA in PA

You need to have the water department test your meter and listen to your complaint long before jumping to court. Does your meter have a small triangluar shaped pointer in the center of the dial?

I hear you... but.. there is small chance that your meter is faulty. If it is than Water Co. will give you credit charging you average based on the last few bills.
Look around your property for wet spots and /or around lush green vegetation, including sprinklers. 99% of time there is an actual leak. Do the test as suggested by Ballengerb1 and let us know what happened. Back to you. Milo

I am in a Mobile home park and they purchase the water from the source, goes through a big meter/line and then to the homes. My meter was not showing any water passing through it and they refused to consider the meter or the reading was wrong. Also the park manager has told big fabrications that we called them and had a problem in time frame of bill. Lot of residents getting bogus billing, I turned case over to AG. They did not do anything. Taking the park owner to court, small claims as they could care less and if no one fights back, seniors will pay large bills as it is a practice here to do their own billing, reading meters, and lying like dogs! I am going to court and the park manager can perjure herself in front of God and the judge, win or lose she will have to answer sooner or later to the higher powers.

LINDA

I hear how this upsets you but you need more facts and less emotion when you get to court.

Take your bills for the last 12 months ( less the large bill ) and figure out your monthly average. Unless something drastically changed in your water usage your bill should be +/- 10%. I think the Mobile Home Park is scamming you. You should take him to court as a group, not as an individual. Unfortunately, Mobile Home Park has you on the hook. Let us know, how you did. Good luck. Milo

Yes you will need to prove, so you left the water on in every pipe in your home, the court does not know. So you have to prove why this is not right.

If we knew the diameter and material your incoming line is and the psi I can calculate the total possible volume if every faucet in your home were left open.