SAN DIEGO — A delay in water bills from the city of San Diego has a Linda Vista couple on the hook for more than $7,000. We've heard from several people getting months of bills all at once.
But, this story is unique. David and Elizabeth Lewis said that because they weren't getting their bills on time, they didn't know they had a leak.
"It's as frustrating as it could be," said David.
Their water bill issues started last month, when they received a call from a person who they believe was a meter reader letting them know their usage was abnormally high.
"I went into the house. I immediately shut off the water then went to the meter to see if it shut down the use of the water," said David.
Next, a plumber came over and determined there was a leak in the spare bathroom no one uses.
Problem solved. Or, so they thought.
David logged onto the couple’s account, and to his surprise, multiple bills dating back to September of 2021 had been posted all in one day. "So, on January 10th, 2023, we got eight bills at once."
David and his wife, who travel often, say they checked periodically during that time frame but their balance was always zero. Since they were gone, they didn't think much of it.
They wound up paying over $1000 for the undisputed bills, which average about $200 bi-monthly.
What they're concerned about are the most recent bills, which have put the total amount they owe at more than $7,000.
"If we had been getting the bills every two months, we would have noticed in September of 2022 that we had a water leak because the bill went from $200 to a $1000. That's problem number one. Problem number two is I don't know why they try to fake you out that they're going to try to work with you when you have a dispute,” the couple said.
Collectively, the couple tells CBS8 they've not only called public utilities, but have sent over 20 online messages, yet still haven't been able to reach anyone.
They've since been getting notices about the past due balance, and are worried their water will be shut off.
So, CBS8 got to work and reached out to the city on their behalf.
A spokesperson said:
“We are always willing to work with our customers, and we have been in contact with this customer since Jan. 8, 2023, to resolve the billing issue. Due to the leak that occurred at this property, an adjustment will be calculated.
It is important to note that the City is not currently shutting off anyone's water service. When there is a dispute regarding a high water bill, Public Utilities will investigate.
Due to staffing challenges, the Public Utilities Department is, unfortunately, unable to investigate each account immediately. We are actively taking measures to address the staffing and operational challenges that contribute to our backlog.”
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