Woman Receives $74,326 Water Bill From City

[matcom]

<snip>

When Rose Mary Cook received her utility bill from the city of Mascoutah, she hoped it wouldn't be over her $200 average, so when the bill read $74,326.66, she nearly hit the floor.

The city claimed she used 10 million gallons of water -- the current estimated daily usage of drinking water for cities the size of Fargo, N.D.; Tacoma, Wash.; Des Moines, Iowa and Sioux Falls, S.D.

"Luckily, when I opened the bill, I was sitting down," Cook said. "I could have filled every pool in southern Illinois and still not used that much water."

In fact, Glen Canyon dam near the Arizona-Utah border stands 710-foot-tall and holds 10 million gallons of water from the Colorado River.

"My daughter asked me if I was hoarding water during the drought," Cook said. "I told her I would, but I don't know where I would find 10 million gallon jugs."

Cook owed $29,787 for water, $43,581 for sewer, plus $893 for municipal tax.

"And if it isn't paid by next Saturday, I owe $78,000," Cook said.

But Cook needn't worry.

She took the bill to to City Hall, and showed it to a public works employee.

"She just did a double take, then she said my meter must have went out," Cook said. "I don't know if they have replaced it yet or not."

After bringing the bill to the city's attention, Cook received a corrected bill for $32.66. The city decided not to charge her for that month's water and sewer because of the broken meter.

"That's more like it," she said.

http://www.belleville.com/mld/belleville/news/local/12111740.htm

[Allenberg]

1. Good to see the town did the right thing.

[indepat]

2. I she lived in my city, she would still be stuck with the ludicrous bill

most likely.