Authority of The Borough of Charleroi

Review: I have been a resident of my current address since December 2012. I made my security deposit also in December of 2012 at the Charleroi water dept. Service was immediately started at that time. However, The water dept in Charleroi failed to do an actual reading for my residence until May of 2013. From the time I only received an estimated bill (not actual reading) in April for $89.00 that I did in fact pay. In June I received a bill for $162.00. At this same time was when the Mon Valley Sewage received the first actual reading from the water department to be able to send me an accurate current bill. This turned out to be a bill of $357.00. No thanks to the negligence on the part of the water department, now my sewer bill had escalated. So here I am in a situation of trying to care for my three children and having to choose between food & these bills. I became unable to pay all of these balances up front & I called several times to make make payment arrangements and was sent to a voicemail everytime. The individual who apparently makes payment arrangements never returned my calls. My intentions were to try to pay off the bill all at once as to not be charged ridiculous "late fees" every month (which is in it of itself a scam to make money off people) but being a Mom of 3 kids I do not have this kind of money to put up all at once.I could have paid these bills had thy been coming monthly as they were supposed to. As of today I have shut off notices on both my water & sewage. Today my water bill is $358.00 with many of their "fees" being attached. I did try again today to make payment arrangements today. I even offered to pay off half of the bill, but the clerk who I spoke with was rude, callos & could careless that the water department failed to send out an actual reading until 6 months after we had been residents here. The overall attitude in my experience with the water department is they exploit residents who are in a position of having shut off notices and further demonize us & demoralize us.Desired Settlement: My water not to be shut off. Payment arrangements made. Fees removed. Accountability with their customer service policies & procedures. Accountability when actual readings are not taken until 6 months after I have lived here. Remind these individuals they would not have jobs for not the residents of this area. They are here to serve the people, we are not here for them to exploit and run a scam with their "fees".