People across Jefferson Parish said for months their utility bills have been skyrocketing. Particularly their water bills. Some said it’s becoming hard to maintain their businesses and even their households.
WDSU reporter Shay O’Connor got you some answers on whether relief is even possible. She was live along Veterans Boulevard in Metairie.
It’s in that area where O’Connor said residents said their bills are easily nearly $1000 a month. A figure they said is unsustainable.
Roberto Molina, the owner of Habana Port Cigars in Metairie, said, “Usually we had been paying $36 to $40 a month. This month was really high. $831. For one toilet and one sink we have in the back.”
Molina said, “The water company said we are responsible for that. I don’t know if it’s an issue with the meters.”
Molina has owned the business for about 10 years. He also said his water is rarely used.
“We already got a plumber, and he doesn’t see any broken pipes or anything,” said Molina.
He went on to say, “They said we used 48 thousand gallons in July … that’s just ridiculous.”
His neighbor at the hair salon right next door also had a substantially high bill for just one month.
Molina said he is concerned high bills could force small businesses throughout the parish to close up shop, including his own.
“We cannot stay in business paying bills like this.”
Just blocks away on Church Street, homeowners said they are now plagued with higher bills. One woman said she thought fewer kids in her house would mean less money spent on her water bill. But recently, that has not been the case.
“My summer water bill used to be about 90$. Now I’m about $250, $260. There’s no way my water bill should be going up. I’ve sorta just given up.”
WDSU took these questions to the Jefferson Parish Utility Services. They released the following statement regarding the ongoing water bill issues:
“The Utility Services call center is seeing an uptick in call volume as customers inquire about higher bills. There are two contributing factors driving the increase in calls: Jefferson Parish has a 20-year rate increase plan to improve water and sewer infrastructure; customers will see bills increase yearly as we are in year four of this plan. The second contributing factor is the new Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) smart meters. Unlike the old meters, the new meters are very accurate and sensitive to water usage.
“Utility Services encourages customers with higher-than-normal bills to thoroughly check their property for leaks. Customers can find a photo of their meter read on our Utility Services dashboard at JeffParish.gov. To view these photos, type your Utility Services account number into the Abnormal Meter Read Photos webpage located on the dashboard.
“Utility Services will also be updating the look of customers’ bills. The new bills are easier to read and include colors and charts that provide a snapshot of the previous 12 months of water usage and a pie chart showcasing the breakdown of sewer, water, garbage and other utility costs. In November, Utility Services will launch an app that will be available on iOS, Android, and the web. Customers will be able to see real-time water usage, leak alerts, receive water outage notifications and manage payment thresholds.”
When asked about the hundreds of residents who have received extremely high water bills out of the blue recently, the company released the following:
“Utility Services has to review each account individually. Utility Services bills customers every 60 days, so customers can anticipate when their next bill with be delivered. Customers who have higher-than-normal bills may have a leak on their property, or it may be that a customer has a past due balance that carried over to their new bill. Customers can call Utility Services at 504-736-6060 to discuss their accounts. Customers who have higher bills due to a leak can receive a once-in-a-12-month leak adjustment after the leak has been repaired. “
WDSU will continue to keep you updated on any updates from Jefferson Parish Utility Services.
READ MORE:Jefferson Parish owners and residents complain of extremely high water bills; Water company responds
