Miamisburg customers question accuracy of water bills

City in midst of EPA-mandated project increasing bills $132 a quarter over five years.


YEAR AVG. BILL

2014 $180

2015 $217

2016 $262

2017 $294

2018 $303

2019 $312

Customers in Miamisburg are questioning the accuracy of their city water bills as five-year rate increases to pay for $69 million in system upgrade near a midpoint.

Some of the city’s estimated 8,000 customers contend the units consumed as reflected on their bills have “skyrocketed” over the same period in 2015, the first year the series of rate hikes went into effect. The increases are “front-loaded,” with greater increases in the first few years, according to the city.

But some have questioned the accuracy of the water bills, residents said.

“What has many, many residents up in arms is the fact we are also seeing dramatic increases in unit consumption,” Rhonda Vinson of Sixth Street stated in an email.

“People are pulling out old bills and comparing the history of usage and see in the last 4-6 months their average units/gallons consumed have skyrocketed,” she added, noting later, “what is alarming is the number of people this is happening to.”

The city said it is unaware of any malfunction or error in the billing system quarter’s billing, said city Public Information Officer Gary Giles, and does not log the number of complaints received.

But South Riverview Avenue resident Bob Lloyd said he has experienced similar problems.

“Almost everybody I talked to showed an increase in usage in water,” he told Miamisburg City Council last month.

Customers’ questions about the water bills have led to changes in more than 120 payments, according to Giles.

“It is not uncommon for the city to grant bill adjustments, and it can be due to a number of reasons,” Giles stated in an email.

But, he noted, “This practice doesn’t have anything to do specifically with the 2016 rate increase.”

The city granted 69 changes in September and 54 in October, according to Giles.

The annual rate increases were approved by city council in 2014. With the support of residents, it voted to keep Miamisburg’s water and sewer system by embarking on an Ohio Environmental Protection Agency-mandated $69 million renovation plan, said Mayor Dick Church Jr.

“I’ll be the first to tell you my rates are high, too,” Church said. “The rates are higher. Yes they are - and I don’t like it any more than anybody else.

“That water and sewer system will remain an asset to the city of Miamisburg going forward,” he said. “We’re making improvements now that are going to benefit not only this generation, but future generations.”

The five-year hikes are “front-loaded,” with larger percentage increases in the first few years than the last two.

The average user’s bill increased $148 overall in 2015 ($37 per quarter) and $180 in 2016 ($45 per quarter). Bills will increase by $128 in 2017 ($32 per quarter) and by $36 in 2018 and again in 2019, or $9 per quarter.

That will take average bills from $180 in 2014 to $312 in 2019.

City officials said prior to the rate hikes approved in 2014, Miamisburg approved increases twice this century, the last time in 2009.

Complaints about water bills are handled on a case-by-case basis, city officials said. Those having them are encouraged to call 847-6460, according to the city’s website.

“When people report that they believe a billing amount is higher than it should be, we encourage them to check for a leak (most commonly found in toilets) and offer to do a meter re-read if appropriate,” according to Giles.

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