Aqua America, Incorporated

In review of [redacted]’s account, I have confirmed that Aqua North Carolina provides water service to the property located at [redacted], Fayetteville, NC. During my investigation I found that PWC (Public Works Commission) located at [redacted], Fayetteville, NC...

###-###-####, were installing sewer lines in the [redacted] subdivision where [redacted] resides. An Aqua representative visited the property on June 14, 2016, to assess the customer’s property (yard).  The work that took place at the property was not performed by Aqua, North Carolina.  It is my suggestion that [redacted] contact PWC (Public Works Commission) office to report the damages and repairs needed that she is requesting. I have also confirmed that Aqua’s water meter is located in the front yard.  There would be no reason for a representative to perform any work in the customer’s back yard.  This has been confirmed with the area field supervisor.  Based on the information from the area supervisor, Aqua is not liable since there were no projects / installing of mains being performed by Aqua North Carolina. In regard to the water usage that [redacted] references, I have reviewed the billing statements dated April 14, 2016 and May 13, 2016, which indicate that the usage appears higher than usual which could have been triggered by the work done at the property.  Aqua does have an internal policy to provide customers with a courtesy leak adjustment toward the highest bill rendered providing that the necessary documentation is provided.  [redacted] is eligible to receive a onetime courtesy adjustment in the amount of $108.31 toward the April 14, 2016, billing statement.  This is a courtesy adjustment that is offered by the company and is not mandated by state regulations. It is my understanding that [redacted] has spoken to a representative at Aqua.  I will provide this information and request that a follow-up telephone call be made to the customer.  Please advise if you require additional information.

A 10 day shut off notice was mailed on January 13, 2016 for January 25, 2016. The service at the property was terminated on January 27, 2016.
[redacted]’s contacted Aqua’s customer service center on January 27, 2016, at 1:59 PM and made a payment in the amount of $268.26 confirmation # [redacted]. ...

The service was scheduled to be restored the next business day, January 28, 2016.
Aqua’s policy when a customer is terminated for non-payment, service is restored within 24 hours after payment is made. The policy is in accordance with North Carolina Public Utility Law and Regulations.
Please note that the last payment made on the account was on November 11, 2015 in the amount of $48.73.
The shut off notice advises customers to contact the company prior to termination to avoid termination. The customer qualified for a payment arrangement however; because he did not call prior to termination, the service was terminated.
There is a current balance of $60.32 due on February 9, 2016. Please advise if you require additional information.

7/5/17 & 7/20/17 the CSRs stated they would set up appointments to have the meter inspected, however, the CSRs failed to make the appointments as Aqua has no record of the work orders. These errors were the cause of customer having their water turned off. Aqua takes full responsibility for being...

the cause of the water being turned off and customer not being moved in. Aqua apologizes for any inconvenience the matter caused. The supervisors were notified for additional training. The equipment has been fixed as the RF device has been replaced. The remote reading device (RF) transmits the reading from the meter. If the device is damaged or missing, it will not report the actual reading from the meter but instead report zero reads. The meter is working correctly, however, the transmission of the information was not working.  The customer was not charged a reconnection fee.

I just bought a home in Bristol PA. I am redoing that bathroom and kitchen as well as replacing the water heater and the carpets. I contacted aqua to come out because the water meter was not installed/need the water turned on and it was on the floor right below where the connection is. The first time the came out they told me that I needed to replace the connections for the water meter because they were going to give me a new water meter that need bigger connections, this was on Monday 2/1/2016. Tuesday I paid someone to replace the connections and called to have them come out the following day to install the water meter. I took off work for an appointment they made on Wednesday 2/3/2015 and after my window of 2-4pm no one showed up so I called them. They said I need to have "new business" come out and inspect and they were sorry that they wasted my time. New business comes out thursday 2/4/2015 and says because I am redoing the kitchen/bathroom/carpets/water heater I have to adhere to their new construction guidelines. They are forcing me to spend money to have a pit installed outside the home where they are now going to install the water meter.
My home is not new construction and I am having no plumbing work done to the home. I don't want to have my water meter moved as it is easily accessible from the first floor. How can this water company force me to spend thousands of dollars when all the homes in my town have the current set up I have?!?! Shouldn't I be grandfathered in?
What really pissed me off is that if I just had the plumber put the water meter in I wouldn't have had to have aqua come out and I would have water right now.

A 10 day termination notice was mailed July 15, 2014 for July 28, 2014, in the amount of $140.76. The service at the property was terminated on August 5, 2014 at 10:56 AM.
On August 5, 2014, [redacted] contacted the business office inquiring as to what amount needed to be paid to have service restored.  The customer service representative advised $175.76 and provided the account number.
According to company records, [redacted] contacted the business office after 5:00 PM and left a voice message stating that she made payment in the amount of $176.00 and provided the confirmation number.  On August 6, 2014 the voice message was retrieved and the account was documented that payment was made.  It was also confirmed through western union that the payment was made on August 5, 2014 at 7:38 PM (after business hours).
On August 7, 2014, [redacted] contacted the business office to inquiry when service was going to be restored.  He representative advised that voice message was received that payment was made however; she did not call into the office to schedule the reconnection of service. 
When service is terminated, procedure is that the customer has to contact the business office to schedule the reconnection.  Once the communications has taken place, the service order is created to schedule the service to be restored which is generally the next business day.
I would also like to add that this procedure is to assure that the customer is aware when a company representative is scheduled at the property and to make sure that all faucets are in the off position.  If the customer is not at the property and the technician turns the water on and hear water running the water will be turned off.  
Please advise if you require additional information.

Tell us why here... 09/23/2016Attached is the copy of the meter test results and also of the letter that was mailed to the customer with an explanation of the test results. DAS

I spoke with the Meter Operations supervisor. I was told that, had there been someone at the property when the FSR came to inspect the property they would have left an application/10 day notice to start service. But, since there was no one available and the meter is registering usage, the FSR would leave a 3 day notice. This is because there is usage without a contract. I pulled your original call from 8/13/14 when you spoke to the CSR regarding the 3 day shut off notice. I don't hear where you asked for an email to send the required documentation to the company. The first time I show that you requested the email address was on 8/19/14. The representatives that you spoke with on the 19th did give you incorrect information and I will address that with their supervisors. You were then given the correct information by the supervisor on 8/21/14. The company apologizes for your inconvenience during this process. Unfortunately the company can't contact you if we don't know that you are there or who you are. The company didn't know that anyone was in the property until the township called for water info to bill sewer. This is when the company created the turn off and block service order. The information for each utility that you are responsible for should have been given to you at settlement. This is not something that the company can control since, the company is not able to place a lien against the property  and doesn't go to settlement with you.

The address the company has on file is [redacted], PA. The company doesn't have a [redacted], PA in our system. The [redacted] address appears as a billing address on [redacted], PA. If the applicant is indeed the new tenant at [redacted]...

[redacted], PA., the applicant would need to provide his identification, lease and or settlement papers. To date the company has not received the required documentation. If the customer is having a problem sending the paperwork, he can fax it directly to [redacted] at ###-###-####. The previous balance on the account is over $5,000.00 and the company wants to ensure that the applicant is not the former customer. Customer's who accrue a large balance often try to change the name on the account in order to avoid paying the balance.  Once the lease and the identification is received the company will process it immediately (normally a 24-48 hour process). Also the service was found on without a contract. The service was teminated on 2/27/14. Once the company found the service on it was turned back off.

[To assist us in bringing this matter to a close, you must give us a reason why you are rejecting the response. If no reason is received your complaint will be closed Administratively Resolved] Complaint: [redacted]I am rejecting this response because:
January 2014 – Aqua has stated that this incident was not their responsibility because the back up to the system was caused to customers flushing items down the toilet that caused the back up to the system. How can this not be their responsibility? If their system is unreliable and continues to backup in my home several times each year due to their lack of maintenance/ upgrade their system how can they not be responsible?
March 2014 – Aqua has informed you that they are responsible for this incident.  No, I don’t believe they have taken full responsibility.  Aqua’s lift station failed which was the result of the backup and damage. What is their excuse every other time it backs up in my home or my neighbor’s home? Aqua visited the property and reported sewage on the outside of the property and inside. Yes, this is true after I contacted the Revdex.com and the TCEQ. Aqua stated that there was no sewage in the lake. I have video footage that shows differently.  Aqua has contracted out the repairs and the outside of the house has been cleaned.  It was not cleaned according to TCEQ standards and I again have video footage of this as well. However, the contractor has not been allowed access to inside the property to make the required repairs. [redacted] with Aqua came to my home with a company to take a look at my home to make approved repairs by Aqua. They said they would spray a disinfectant on actively wet areas. If there was an area that was wet, they were not allowed to clean. I asked them if they were going to cut the walls and carpet out that had made contact with sewage. They said no. Aqua had only approved them to spray a disinfectant. I then asked, well are you at least going to move the damaged furniture out, spray the disinfectant and then clean the furniture until my attorney can get Aqua to remove the carpet and walls that came in contact with sewage? Again they said no because Aqua will not approve that. [redacted] from Aqua was there to confirm that Aqua would not allow them. Aqua’s claims department has informed me all inquiries have been directed to your attorney. Your claims case resides in Aqua’s claim department and is being discussed with your attorney as requested.  Once a resolution has been reached, your attorney will contact you with the outcome. Ok Please be advised that Aqua has informed you during the first incident at the property that if you installed a check valve, it would prevent the sewage back up from reoccurring. This again is not true. Aqua had a worker at my house in the lawsuit before. This worker showed me a pipe and said he was installing a check valve with clean out. He said this would correct the problem and prevent any backup sewage from coming to my home. I believed him. I thought he installed it. It was not until I hired my own plumber to complete an inspection that I learned it had never been installed. If you have any questions regarding the check valve installation, please contact Aqua’s customer service department at [redacted] between the hours of 7:30 AM – 5:00 PM ET, Monday through Friday.
I completely disagree that Aqua has even made an attempt to ensure my kids, my mother and my husband and I are safe and healthy. There is mold in my home from the consent sewage in my home. My kids cannot play inside or outside of the home. We all have to sleep upstairs in a room to try to breath as much clean air as we can. Aqua has refused to put us in a hotel to ensure our health is not at risk during this time.
 
Thank you,
[redacted]-[redacted]  
Regards,[redacted]

[To assist us in bringing this matter to a close, you must give us a reason why you are rejecting the response. If no reason is received your complaint will be closed Administratively Resolved]
 Complaint: [redacted]
I am rejecting this response because:I was informed by several different customer service representatives that my water would be turned on by 5:00pm. My water, as stated in your response, was not turned on until after 7:00pm. The ONLY time I was told it could POSSIBLY be turned on after 5:00pm was the final time I called around 4:50pm. That is unacceptable. The gentleman that finally arrived after 7:00pm told me that he would've been by earlier in the day had he not have wanted to be with his wife at a doctors appointment with her. I am not a careless individual but when you are scheduled to work you need to work and not take off suddenly because of a doctors appointment. The system that you use to provide service to your customers is not working out and I will not stand for the inadequate service. 
Regards,
[redacted]

[To assist us in bringing this matter to a close, you must give us a reason why you are rejecting the response. If no reason is received your complaint will be closed as Answered]
 Complaint: [redacted]
I am rejecting this response because: This is not a response. These are the very same documents that have been sent before. They have just been re-entered again to buy time. This will be forwarded to my attorney. AQUA has committed "FRAUD" and it appears that the Revdex.com does not want to close this case out due to "FEAR".
Regards,
[redacted]

It is my apology to Ms. [redacted] regarding the bill message statement.  She is correct of the wording of the message, reference below.  Aqua’s customer service center hours are 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM Monday through Fridays.  However; if a customer does call after 5:00 PM the call is forwarded to Aqua’s afterhours call center for emergencies such as; water leaks, no water and low pressure. An apology is extended to the customer for the misreading of the meter on April 22, 2016.  Once Ms. [redacted] brought the error to our attention, a check reading was obtained and the account was billed correctly.  The high bill was cancelled and the account was rebilled with the correct reading issuing the customer a bill in the amount of $49.90 in comparison to the high bill issued in the amount of $286.27. Aqua’s policy does not reimburse customers for plumber invoices however; if there was a leak at the property, the account would be reviewed to determine if the customer is eligible for a leak adjustment. In this situation, there was no leak at the property and the account was rebilled with a check reading which resulted in the customer receiving a revised bill that was consistent with previous billing statements.     It is Aqua’s desire to resolve any problems and address concerns from our customers.  On behalf of the company I extend an apology to Ms. [redacted] for the inconvenience. Message Center n n n Aqua North Carolina, Inc. [redacted] Bryn Mawr, PA 19010-3489 Please check www.aquanorthcarolina.com for the latest information on water restrictions. HIGH BILL ALERT - Your usage appears higher than usual. For information on high usage and leaks, visit the Water Smart section on www.aquaamerica.com.

The customer provided the company with a copy of their fax confirmation pages as proof that they previously faxed two Landlord Revert forms.  Because the company did not process the forms in a timely manner, an Account Activation Charge was applied to the customer's account....

 
After thorough investigation, the company located and immediately process the Landlord Revert forms. Additionally, the $31.76 Account Activation Charge was removed from the customer's account.
A company representative contacted the customer and  apologized for the delay in processing their request.  The representative also explained that the Account Activation Charge had been removed.   The customer expressed satisfaction with the resolution.
Aqua Ohio's position is that the company did not process this customer's forms in a timely manner. We have since identified the root cause and corrective action for this internal processing delay.

Revdex.com:I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.I'd like to keep registered that it took too much time for the business to acknowledge the error and take the necessary measures to solve it. Several phone calls and e-mails were sent to the business's representatives and, due to lack training and understanding of the business's matter, they couldn't manage to solve the problem in a timely manner.Finally, I'd like register that after the hassle, the last Aqua representative that visited my house was very gentle and helpful. First, he had the initiative to personally talk to us (something that none of the other technicians did). Talking to us, he was able to understand the problem, explained what measures would be taken and addressed the issue internally.If possible, I'd like to formally mention his name in appreciation for the service he provided. Can someone from Revdex.com let me know if I'm allowed to publicly mention his name?Regards, [redacted]

[A default letter is provided here which indicates your acceptance of the business's response.  If you wish, you may update it before sending it.]
Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and find that...

this resolution is satisfactory to me. 
Regards,
[redacted]

Aqua Ohio provides service to this customer at [redacted] in Mentor, Ohio.  We recently notified customers in the area of our plan to upgrade aged meters with Radio Frequency meters. The Radio Frequency meters improves the meter reading efficiency by sending a signal of the...

meter reading so that meters can be read remotely. The notice also informed customers that Aqua Ohio's contractor, [redacted] would be hiring a subcontractor, [redacted] to go door to door and facilitate immediate installation. Customers were advised to call [redacted] at ###-###-#### to schedule an appointment. 
[redacted] contacted the company on November 20, 2014 and scheduled an appointment to have the RF meter installed on December 26, 2014.  A Field Service Representative visited the property on December 26, 2014 and there was no one available at the property. The FSR called the customer twice via telephone and left a call back number. The FSR also left a door tag notifying the customer of the missed appointment.  Unfortunately, the Radio Frequency installation is not optional. The meter at this property  was installed in 1997 and is aged. The meter must be exchanged and upgraded with Radio Frequency.
The customer must contact [redacted] immediately to schedule an appointment for exchange of the meter. Otherwise, the company may terminate the service in accordance with the following Ohio Administrative Code. The Administrative code can be found on the website [redacted]
[redacted]:1-15-27 Disconnection procedures.
(3) The customer must be given not less than fourteen days written notice before service is disconnected when any of the following conditions exist:
(d) For denial to the company of reasonable access to the premises for the purpose of reading, inspection, replacement, or maintenance of the meter.
We were unable to reach the customer via telephone in response to this complaint.

Aqua records show Mrs. [redacted]) water account doesn’t have a past due balance. However she received two estimate bills dated 5/13/16 and 6/14/16. Since Mrs. [redacted] was billed on an estimate read, a field service representative (FSR) was assigned to visit the property and obtain an actual read...

and verify the meter and radio frequency device are working correctly. Aqua records show the FSR arrived at the property at approximately 8:19 a.m... The FSR was not able to obtain an actual read and left a 10 Day Notice asking the customer to contact Aqua and schedule to have the meter exchanged. The notice explains what may happen if an appointment is not scheduled within 10 days. If an appointment is not scheduled the water service may be shut off for non-access. If the water is shut off the customer may be bill $50.00 reconnect fee. Aqua records show the FSR left the property at approximately 8:31 a.m… Later Aqua records show Mrs. [redacted] spoke with a Customer Service Representative at approximately 11:38 a.m., during the call the CSR noted the account that Mrs. [redacted] was upset and the call was dropped when the CSR tried to escalate the call to a supervisor. Mrs. [redacted] called back at approximately 11:43 a.m... , the call was transferred to a call center manager. During that call the manager asked Mrs. [redacted] if she could provide the FSR who visited her property. When Mrs. [redacted] was not able to describe the FSR the manager asked if she had contacted the police. Mrs. [redacted] said no. The manager then put Mrs. [redacted] on hold and attempted to find out which representative was at the property. Also Mrs. [redacted] informed the manager that the CSR was not courteous, the manger explained that she would use the incident as a coaching opportunity. After receiving the Revdex.com complaint Mrs. [redacted] was contacted by Aqua’s Customer Care Coordinator. During that call Mrs. [redacted] said she wanted Aqua to send her a certified letter explaining the meter exchange. The customer care coordinator apologizes for the inconvenience. Mrs. [redacted] said if Aqua shows up to her property she will get a gun and use it. Aqua took Mrs. [redacted]’s complaint very seriously. Aqua has notified the local police department and plans to send Mrs. [redacted] a certified letter explaining the need to exchange the water meter. After Mrs. [redacted] receives the letter she may call to schedule an appointment with the appropriate department. Again Aqua apologizes for any inconvenience. Tell us why here...

[To assist us in bringing this matter to a close, you must give us a reason why you are rejecting the response. If no reason is received your complaint will be closed Administratively Resolved]
 Complaint: [redacted]
I am rejecting this response because:
Incomplete description of message with respect to high water usage. The complete message suggests that if water usage does not match with unusually high water usage reflected on bill that they recommend checking for water leaks. They have their technician state to customer that the company is available 24/7 and that you should contact them prior to calling a plumber. Given that customers cannot obtain a live person to speak with when calling in and you are also unable to leave the company a message, waiting for 2-3 days to check for leaks is unacceptable, especially given the water damage that a leak of that magnitude can cause. 
Regards,
[redacted]

From: Revdex.com of Metro Washington DC <[email protected]>Date: Fri, Jan 27, 2017 at 9:10 AMSubject: Fwd: You have a new message from the Revdex.com of Metro Washington DC & Eastern Pennsylvania in regards to your complaint #[redacted].To: [redacted] <[redacted]@myRevdex.com.org>---------- Forwarded message ----------From: [redacted] <[redacted].com>Date: Fri, Jan 27, 2017 at 9:04 AMSubject: Re: You have a new message from the Revdex.com of Metro Washington DC & Eastern Pennsylvania in regards to your complaint #[redacted].To: Revdex.com <[email protected]>Evidently I did not direct my complaint too the right company. I felt that since Aqua recommended [redacted] to me that they would monitor them and handle this complaint.  My main issue is that [redacted] told Aqua that they found no problems, but the next day my plumber found the problem.  Total plumbing (sent by [redacted]) would not tell me anything but said for me to call Aqua, that sounded strange to me like they wanted nothing to do with the problem. Later our housekeeper said she has heard the noise.  I’m sorry that may hearing aids did not pick up the running water.  I would feel better if [redacted] or Aqua would pick up my plumbing bill.

[To assist us in bringing this matter to a close, you must give us a reason why you are rejecting the response. If no reason is received your complaint will be closed Administratively Resolved]
 Complaint: [redacted]
I am rejecting this response because:  On December 26, 2014, no Field Representative visited my residence,  The Field Representative was not customer oriented at all, very rude, unprofessional and no messages were left.  I was there on the December 26. 2014, and no one showed to install the new meter. Like I have stated previously, I have been in and out of the hospital, and a friend of mine could not be there due to her working in a hospital because her schedule varies.  This is one way of Aqua covering themselves saying that the Field Representative showed and left messages and totally disregarding what I have previously stated about being in and out of the hospital due to health reasons.  Aqua Incorporated thinks that their customers are totally stupid and we are supposed to fall at their feet and say that they are always correct in everything that they do!!!
No one cares about anyone today,, it is about, How much money can I make? 
I also previously stated that I pay my bills on time and Aqua Incorporated sends me a threatening letter that Aqua Incorporated will shut off my water if I don't let someone to install a new meter and I am supposed to accept their response to their letter that was directed to me!!!!  I don't think so at all!!!!
The [redacted] should have never granted Aqua Incorporated a rate increase for the water!!!
Regards,
[redacted]