'Extreme' water bills could be reduced

Residents of Findlay who received extremely high water bills when the city turned on its new meter readers this summer could have their bills reduced. Findlay City Council voted 9-1 to support a recommendation from the city's administration and its Water and Sewer Committee to waive 75% of the cost of "lost water" for residents who recently received bills more than 500% higher than normal. The cost would be waived for account owners with a "running system" or leak that contributed to the high bill. The recommended also included a 24-month payment plan on the adjusted portion of all water bills be allowed. The city currently offers only a 12-month payment plan on water bills. Councilwoman Holly Frische, R-1, voted against accepting the recommendation, saying a person with a 499% bill also deserves a remedy, and she would favor action that addresses the issue of underestimated bills for all residents. She also said the recommendation does not require residents to provide proof of a leak. So far, the city has identified 142 residential water bills that are more than 500% higher than normal on the city's new meter reading system. That's about $120,000 higher than normal across all the accounts, most likely due to undetected leaks or a running system. Leaks in the system have gone undetected since the city's remote meter reading system failed in December 2021. When the city is reading meters, it can typically catch leaks within a month or so, due to an abnormal spike in the bill, and then the account holder is notified. When the city switched to estimates and stopped reading meters those leaks went undetected. The city hasn't been reading meters for 20 months. Almost all of the city's 20,000 water meters have now been updated with new transmitters. The system is under warranty for 15 years. Once the new transmitters are activated, the water department checks each account for accuracy against the metered reading. If the account has been overbilled, a credit is placed on the account. Accounts that have been underestimated are billed for the difference. Residents with concerns or questions about their water bill are encouraged to contact the city of Findlay Utility Billing Office, 136 N. Blanchard St. The phone number is 419-424-7190. Information is also available on the city's website at www.findlayohio.gov