Posted on 03/30/2023 12:31:38 PM PDT by Kevin in California
I live in San Jose, CA. and get my water from San Jose Water (SJW). They bill every two months. My bills average about $300-330 every two months. Yes, they gouge us. Anyway, my mid Oct to mid Dec bill was $340 which I payed. Then, I get my mid Dec to mid Feb bill a couple days ago and out of the blue, it more than doubles to $733…yes, you’re reading that right. How so I ask myself? Nothing has changed in my household with regards to water use. If anything, I do my best to conserve. There are two other occupants that reside in my house and both of them are gone seven days a weeek from sunrise until 5pm when they return home. So, they’re not using water during that timeframe. And me, I work from home and use very little water during every day. We haven’t washed cars in at least 6 months. I don’t have a lawn or sprinkler system. Even if I did, I wouldn’t be watering as it’s been a very wet winter in California.
Here's the coincidence- during the timeframe of this outrageous bill, there was construction going on in front of my house and on my entire street. They replaced the old water main and just finished up 2-3 weeks ago. One day during this construction job, a backhoe was digging up the street in front of and across the street from my house when it hit the now replaced water main sending water 50’ up into the air. It took SJW almost 3 hours to shut it off. For some reason, I think they’re billing me for that miscue.
I called SJW earlier this morning and was yelling at them. The lady told me my water usage went up which is absolute HORSE SHIT and ludicrous. I called her and SJW effin thieves. I never mentioned the construction mishap to her as she said she would send someone out to look at my meter. This will not change anything however but I’m gonna have a long talk with this person.
Since I’m most likely on the hook for this bill, anyone know what recourse I have, if any to fight it?
You are producing too much CO2 and need to be punished.
I suggest changing your screen name to Kevin in Texas.
Reason #4 why we bailed out of CA. The high prices of nearly everything was just out of control.
Making water isn’t cheap. 😁👍. We get our sewer bill quarterly at $165/qtr. That is the standard number for single family dwellings here. 1,000 sq ft or 3,000 sq ft. I believe apartment are lower.
find some place other than California to live???
The state is nuts. We recently switched our industrial use from Gas to Electric for various reasons - though it’s better for the local environment to use electric somewhere else they are burning gas to get me electricity. Anyway, the electric rates more than tripled last summer. Saw it in my home bill too. And I hear that nat gas prices also tripled and many small businesses are under enormous financial strain.
Check their website for a dispute process. Check the fine print on the bill to see if it mentions a dispute process.
Did you take pictures on the day of the geyser? Check with your neighbors, how many have annormal bills and did they take pictures of the geyser? Fight as a group.
Find and secure all the evidence you can to present to the utility.
$150/month for water? I guess I found the ONE thing NY is good at, that’s my annual water bill.
I’d move out of the Peoples Republic of California. Just speaking for myself.
Suggest you look at the meter statement for your previous bill. Was it an actual reading or estimated? Then go compare it to what you see on the meter. If previous reading was “estimated”, then demand someone come out and make a actual reading.
have you looked at the meter to see if the numbers agree with the bill? Also most meters have a spinner that indicates flow. Be sure that is not spinning when you are not using any water in house. Could indicate a leak on your side of the meter.
In San Jose the correct answer depends upon your race.
If you think water has been used on the city side of your meter, then you take your evidence to the office that produces your bill. But if they got the usage off your meter, you either have a leak, which is generally considered your problem*, or there is an error. Depending on the meter type, it can be misreading. You can have them put another meter on the line and compare the two readings. Here’s what you don’t do. DO NOT go into the office mad. Go in with a puzzled and inquiring tone. Write down all of the questions. Always use questions. Don’t make any definitive statements. If you form everything in a question than the office is going in search of answers. If you come in with your theory, you will trigger an automatic self-defense and you will lose that one. If you don’t get satisfaction, work your way up the chain. Find out which elected official overseas the office and go see him. (Her, or it. You never know these days.)
Also, they may send a city engineer out to look at your problem. Aim at this if you can’t get anything else done. You may have a giant leak under a slab or emptying into an abandoned pipe or well.
If the prices are real, then get someone to dig you a well and use that water instead.
One more thing you can do now is turn off all the water and then see if the meter is still moving. If it is, you may be in serious physical danger until you determine where the water is going.
* If there is a problem on your side there are two possible outs that will save you money. Find out if they have a one time forgiveness policy. Two, find out if you can use the pool filling price break. Usually, it’s a tiny percentage of the real price.
You live in a foreign land and you do nothing to come back home.
If the broken main was across the street, it is doubtful the problem changed your meter reading.
anyone know what recourse I have
Move.
i hope you can move away, going to get much worse
LOL.
My brother lived in Danville and he used to tell the story of some years ago when his water bill got to the 400 - $500 dollar range for a bi-monthly bill he called the water department and asked by his domestic water to be turned off so he could switch to Chardonnay as it would undoubtedly be cheaper.
I lived in a Phoenix suburb at the time and one month emptied my large deep pool for cleaning a refilled it and still had a water bill only a fifth of his.
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