Dunkard Valley Joint Municipal Authority

Review: Since moving in our house in 2008 we have had water issues of either low pressure or no water. Starting the beginning of 2013 our water issues have only increased. During the month of January into February of 2013 we experience an entire month of no water or very little water. Since then, our water issues have not got better but the way the company was responding to them did. Until this weekend. I called the company on Thursday 1/14/16 to report a low water pressure issue which seemed to be resolved that night. On Saturday morning 1/16/16 we woke up to no water. We still had no water on Sunday in which I called the emergency line. I was told that they were unable to find the issue and needed to call a company in tomorrow which would cause another day or two of no water. I was also told that there would be no water buffalo provided to us and if I knew any neighbors that lived below us, they had water. In 2013 we were charged a very high bill for the month of no water which we were never refunded. And now, you wont supply a water buffalo. I understand that the lines are old but this is getting old.Desired Settlement: I would like to be refunded for the days of no water service, having to buy my own water, and having a water buffalo available whenever any customer is without water due to a leak.

Review: I purchased a home in 1997. At that time I discovered that the water company had no meter for the home so I question how they determined what my water usage is. It was explained to me that there is a meter pitt up the road(no where near my property)& a line runs from that meter to to a meter pitt on the property of the home behind me. The line to my house is tee'd into that line between the 2 meters. They read the 1st meter & then the 2nd meter & the difference is billed to me. I have asked about getting a meter put on my property & have been told NO! Even when I said I would foot the bill I was still told NO. I now rent the home & have been getting complaints from my tennants over the past 2 years that their water bills are outrageous. I have contacted the water authority and they just give me the run-a-round or say I have a leak.I know exactly where my property line is & I know where the water line runs from to my property. The line on my property is about 20 yards long to the house & that is where my responsibility for the line should start. The rest of the tee'd or main line is not on my responsibility. The main line runs through the woods, from meter to meter, again, not on my property. If I had a leak on my property the ground would be saturated. I am not responible for any leak before my meter. Which explains why the water company refuses to put a meter in. They have been using me to burden their expenses for leak's that are not my responsibilty. 2 yrs ago they had a leak on the line between both meters. They discovered it, fixed it, and then billed my tennant $800.00. What's criminal about this is, the leak was not on my property. The easiest resolution to this problem is to put a meter on my property. With all the over charges they billed me & my tennants, it should be done at their expense. Something has to be done! I should only be responsible for water that flows thru my a meter that is on my property. But how convienent for them. I Don't have a meter. I need your help.Desired Settlement: I would like the water company to agree to put a meter on my property for my line that is my responsibility. I would like them to cover the cost to provide and install the meter since they have over billed me and my tennants for thousands of gallons of water that was not used but lost because of leaks on their lines that is neither on my property or my responsibilty.

Business

Response:

The Dunkard Valley Joint Municipal Authority is presently checking into thecomplaint that was filed with your office by [redacted]The board has talked to Mr. [redacted] and we will discuss options and previousarrangements that were discussed when the second meter was installed.If the water authority installs another meter on his property, the [redacted]’s will beresponsible for all costs incurred. If we have to extend the water line, he will also beresponsible for the line extension. The cost of a new tap is $800.00 plus costs.There was a bill for July 2013 in the amount of $786.40. The water authority didcredit the account $666.40. The board did not make them pay the full amount.Also please be advised that the secretary’s name is [redacted] not [redacted].Thank you for your time.Sincerely,[redacted]PresidentDVJMA

Consumer

Response:

Although I am satisfied with their response of a meter being put in (only took them 17 years) I am not satisfied with them wanting to charge me. This has been an issue since 1997. The reason it became an issue was because I would receiver water bills for water consumption that I knew was no way possible. They have old lines that leak and they know it. Over the past 17 years they have recouped their loss by using me as the fall guy because I did not have a meter. I guaranteed I have paid for the meter & installation more than a few times based on the excessive water bills I have received over the years. I good example of this is this past year. The house was empty from April to August, yet I received bills over 100.00. I understand sewage is included in that but with sewage and the minimum gallons charged (which is 3500) my bills should have been no more than 75.00. I know for a fact I did not use 3,500 gallons in the months the house was vacant. Another example of them over billing was when we got a bill and questioned the amount we were being charged. They told us they messed up and put the reading off the meter at the house behind me on our bill and they would correct it. If we would not have questioned it they would of expected payment. This is what they do.I was willing to pay for the meter to be installed back in 1997 and they refused. How convienant now, for them to agree to put one in at my expense when they have over billed me for years. They mention cost for any lines they may need to be extended. What lines? My responsibility starts at my property line. The line is already there and nothing is wrong with it. There should not be any extensions. Just a break in the line at the start of my property to install the meter. When they makes comments like this it makes me believe they will come up with excuse to fix some of their bad lines that my line feeds off of and try to bill me. It isn't going to happen.

Regards,