A little thing called "qualified immunity" protects governments and their employees from any civil repercussions unless removed by a federal court! And this is why I no longer support trump....he wants cops to have "federal immunity" which means you can't even sue in federal court when they screw up....
I hope not. She's not the only one experiencing this foolishness. This station has covered similar stories. One of which was a newly built house, and family can not move in😢
I think the Atlanta DWM commonsense department is broken. This isn't the first time people have reported this problem, and it seems like the council's interest only falls on nonsense for profit.
Anytime a customer is pigeon-holed into only being able to use one company for services there is no requirement for that company to have any actual oversight or integrity in their operations. This happens with water companies, electric companies, and cable companies in this state. And there is literally nothing the consumer can do aside from exactly what this lady is having to do, pay out yet more money to defend themselves and try to get some sort of resolution. Even if they get it, the company STILL will not be required to operate with any integrity because they literally have no competition so they don't need to.
What a nightmare! And nobody using their god given logical brains. Just reading the numbers and not questioning their own equipment. Outrageous snd could happen to any of us.
The city administration and the water billing appeals board are working on this as we speak. They are all at a study resort on Bali, and should have a meeting on some of this by Christmas break.
they have the technology to determine whether you have a water leak from abnormal water usage, but they won’t tell you even though they have a whole database of everybody’s bills and usage ?. What I find disturbing is the fact they have a database with water usage data
This is what happens when everything is digitized. "glitches". the water wasnt stolen, because the water that was "used" never existed. this is simply a software/hardware malfunction , it happens a little bit every month to everyone. usually just $0.01-0.03 on EVERY account. adds up.
The problem here is no one involved on the admin side thinks it's their job to correct issues. If you see a residential property using thousands of gallons, that should have triggered something. Even if it was legitimate, that throughput would have stressed the system's supply which should have required action anyways.
She looks like she might also receive a tax bill for keeping a blighted property - City of ATL is trying to put a stop to languishing properties like this.
Honestly If she had the money to pay for those water bills, that could have been used to fix the location so it isn’t such a wreck and can be sold off if she didn’t want it.
I got water bills from my town. Except, I don't have town water. I have a well. They claimed that they ran water to my property (it runs along the road, so everyone on the road has it "run to their property", therefore I was responsible for water bills. Now, they are filing a foreclosure on my property for non-payment of municipal water bills...and it appears the courts just don't care, they claim if the town says I have town water I must have town water.
@@U2BearCat The legal fees would be larger than the water bill. That's what they are counting on. Oh, and I have to apparently pay their legal fees as well! Municipalities live in a different legal system than the rest of the world. Entirely different rules.
@@Dr.Bigglesworth Have you tried calling your local state representative. Or the State Attorney General. Definitely call the local TV Stations.This seems to be a total scam.
The courts just don’t care doesn’t mean anything. What means something is what the law in your state says. If you have to pay for service that you don’t use by law then you’re stuck with it. It be shamed to lose your property because you don’t believe in it.
@@neilkurzman4907 I won't lose my house. And the law does not say I am obligated to pay for water or sewer if I simply don't have it. They claim I do, but I physically don't.
1. Why is she paying to have a watermeter there if the building can't be occupied? 2. Call the city, request the meter be pulled, no meter & zero chance of water leaks on the consumers side of the meter, (Because the meter won't even be there/installed) = no water bill..Done 3. File a formal complaint with the State Attorneys Office under the States Consumer Fraud Act. Oh, and...fire your attorney..this should have been resolved in 1 day. I have formerly held the position of Superintendent of Public Works. My Air Force background is civil engineering/ Water Plant Operations & Distribution & Sewage Plant Operations & Treatment, I also installed, inspected & accounted for water meter readings, tabulation, usage, billing & accounts. Good day all!
Im curious about what most people pay a month for water, my family dosent even drink the water, we cook with and drink. Bottled water and yet we pay over 100. A month for water and there is only 2 of us.
Defective meter with phantom reading. It's easy enough to audit a water meter. If it was usage from a leak it would be RIPPING along faster than a gasoline pump sales display at a consistent rate. AND If there was a severe service line leak the city should have not turned the city side back on without notifying the customer.
Why should she pay for a bill for a thing not used, especially if others saw increases in their bills too? Are you suggesting that she and other property owners/tenants pay for what's appearing to be a mistake on the city's side?
Can the residents sue the maker of the system that records these ridiculous numbers? If it's not coming from the meter, it's a software issue. I'd hate to think that this was a bill purposely given to unsuspecting individuals to grab their land/property.🤔🤨 Please keep digging.
It's the government they don't care. They don't have your best interest at heart. They don't want to take responsibility because then it shows that they weren't doing their job. So instead they go after people who they know can't pay. I think it's time to take this to a national level because clearly the city and probably even the state don't really care
The water board is doing this purposely to cover up their own water leaks. One employee already admitted that in another case. They are using these bad meters to pigeonhole the public to pay for THEIR mistakes. They also made sure to not have a code to note the meter is defective, so they like a five year old throw their hands up saying 'well we have no other code so we have no other option.' The State AG needs to get involved to force the city water department to replace the defective meters and have in place proper meter testing to ensure they are working properly and to verify that they need replacement when found defective. The user manual for one meter noted nothing of an auto shut off mechanism when the meter was defective. The city attorney argued that it has this mechanism to turn off the meter when it becomes defective. This is a well thought out plan to screw the public customers over to cover their mistakes which is a grave injustice.
corruption has run amok! Someone one is tricky in their dealings on this road. They may probably own a marijuana farm and the water is going there, but the bills go to the people.
They want her building for free. That's called American government. The United States government and judicial system is nothing but a business. They both get paid whether she "wins" or not. Let's face it, even if she does "win", she's lost alot just because she has to face and fight the issue. That's called a tyrannical government and judicial system.
🤬 They better pay all her lawyer fees and court fees!
They may but they will just raise the price of water on every citizen... government workers are never held accountable
@@countbenjamin1442 Usually Scammed Americans 😮
A little thing called "qualified immunity" protects governments and their employees from any civil repercussions unless removed by a federal court! And this is why I no longer support trump....he wants cops to have "federal immunity" which means you can't even sue in federal court when they screw up....
Someone wants her building. That’s the only answer. They are trying to get her out.
🎯
I hope not. She's not the only one experiencing this foolishness. This station has covered similar stories. One of which was a newly built house, and family can not move in😢
Exactly my comment!
Wasn't in Atlanta the same thing happened to a property where there wasn't even a house built??
Yes… class action against the meter company is needed.
Yes and the guy lost the case too against watershed management or city of Atlanta whoever it was 😅
yep either incompetence or corruption in the water department, a place that is almost impossible to get or fired from
Im so sorry you are going through this nightmare. You should sue them for a million for the stress.
They are absolutely crooked!
The water department needs a cleaning.........................................
Just awful she had to get the news involved for assistance!!
ridiculous/ price gouging gone way too far. they need to be charged.
I think the Atlanta DWM commonsense department is broken. This isn't the first time people have reported this problem, and it seems like the council's interest only falls on nonsense for profit.
Anytime a customer is pigeon-holed into only being able to use one company for services there is no requirement for that company to have any actual oversight or integrity in their operations. This happens with water companies, electric companies, and cable companies in this state. And there is literally nothing the consumer can do aside from exactly what this lady is having to do, pay out yet more money to defend themselves and try to get some sort of resolution. Even if they get it, the company STILL will not be required to operate with any integrity because they literally have no competition so they don't need to.
Monopoly
I hope she wins her suit.
Useless government agencies!!!
It’s embezzlement of some kind if there are no sources of physical leaks.
What a nightmare! And nobody using their god given logical brains. Just reading the numbers and not questioning their own equipment. Outrageous snd could happen to any of us.
It's not missing water, it's computerized meters sending false info....
Someone is stealing.
Someone at DWM is embezzling. And pushing the missing money onto customer accounts to cover up their theft.
@@solandri69 so you’re gonna push $81,000 into a single person’s account and think that’s going to stay hidden
Big problem with corruption in Atlanta.
There's a splashpad that's part of our city parks department on Donald Lee Hollowell. Are they making everyone on that road pay for the water use?
She should have had the water legally turned off
Wait if i dont pay my $30 bill for 2 months they shut my water off . Why is she still getting service for this long if she still owes $76,000?
The city administration and the water billing appeals board are working on this as we speak. They are all at a study resort on Bali, and should have a meeting on some of this by Christmas break.
Thieves will find any way to steal from you, even if its the water department
Why are you paying a water bill for a condemned building, that makes no sense.
they have the technology to determine whether you have a water leak from abnormal water usage, but they won’t tell you even though they have a whole database of everybody’s bills and usage ?. What I find disturbing is the fact they have a database with water usage data
All these people are crooks.
Sounds like the meter company needs to be sued… class action.
This isn’t the first time this has happened.
Why Would There Be A Bill At ALL, 13 Dollars For What ?The Water Is Not On.
This is once again showing the complete disfunction of the City of Atlanta! Department after Department after Department!! Logic? 😂😅😂 Dana
Not too mention the many wrongs houses that have been demolished as well.
That’s wild, and insane.
wasn't there another guy who got a bill for 30,000 and wasn't even hooked up to the water.
I can’t drink my water it is so dirty… when I wash my car, it gets more dirty than when I started.
This is what happens when everything is digitized. "glitches". the water wasnt stolen, because the water that was "used" never existed. this is simply a software/hardware malfunction , it happens a little bit every month to everyone. usually just $0.01-0.03 on EVERY account. adds up.
Stinks to high heaven, just criminal they would do that.
She "actually" need to sell "the place" its evident" that she's not doing a "damn " thing with it"!!
The problem here is no one involved on the admin side thinks it's their job to correct issues. If you see a residential property using thousands of gallons, that should have triggered something. Even if it was legitimate, that throughput would have stressed the system's supply which should have required action anyways.
She looks like she might also receive a tax bill for keeping a blighted property - City of ATL is trying to put a stop to languishing properties like this.
😂😅😂 Nope not with what's in place in our city's government sadly.
Honestly If she had the money to pay for those water bills, that could have been used to fix the location so it isn’t such a wreck and can be sold off if she didn’t want it.
I got water bills from my town. Except, I don't have town water. I have a well. They claimed that they ran water to my property (it runs along the road, so everyone on the road has it "run to their property", therefore I was responsible for water bills. Now, they are filing a foreclosure on my property for non-payment of municipal water bills...and it appears the courts just don't care, they claim if the town says I have town water I must have town water.
get a lawyer
@@U2BearCat The legal fees would be larger than the water bill. That's what they are counting on. Oh, and I have to apparently pay their legal fees as well! Municipalities live in a different legal system than the rest of the world. Entirely different rules.
@@Dr.Bigglesworth Have you tried calling your local state representative. Or the State Attorney General. Definitely call the local TV Stations.This seems to be a total scam.
The courts just don’t care doesn’t mean anything. What means something is what the law in your state says. If you have to pay for service that you don’t use by law then you’re stuck with it. It be shamed to lose your property because you don’t believe in it.
@@neilkurzman4907 I won't lose my house. And the law does not say I am obligated to pay for water or sewer if I simply don't have it. They claim I do, but I physically don't.
A lawsuit is probably the only thing that they'll listen to.
When they have a big sinkhole one day, they will know where the water went.
So, she can sue for damages as well as court costs. She should make out in the end.
So she owns a condemned building, but doesn't want to be responsible for it.
How is she responsible for water not used?
1. Why is she paying to have a watermeter there if the building can't be occupied?
2. Call the city, request the meter be pulled, no meter & zero chance of water leaks on the consumers side of the meter, (Because the meter won't even be there/installed) = no water bill..Done
3. File a formal complaint with the State Attorneys Office under the States Consumer Fraud Act. Oh, and...fire your attorney..this should have been resolved in 1 day.
I have formerly held the position of Superintendent of Public Works. My Air Force background is civil engineering/ Water Plant Operations & Distribution & Sewage Plant Operations & Treatment, I also installed, inspected & accounted for water meter readings, tabulation, usage, billing & accounts. Good day all!
Why does she even own a dilapidated almost abandoned building? That building boarders on the condemned side to me.
i wonder how much the water department own water bill is
Im curious about what most people pay a month for water, my family dosent even drink the water, we cook with and drink. Bottled water and yet we pay over 100. A month for water and there is only 2 of us.
Sue them for your attorney fees, the plumbers and stress.
Its OUR water.. not THEIR water.
Defective meter with phantom reading.
It's easy enough to audit a water meter.
If it was usage from a leak it would be RIPPING along faster than a gasoline pump sales display at a consistent rate.
AND
If there was a severe service line leak the city should have not turned the city side back on without notifying the customer.
She can’t afford that bill because she can’t even fixed the building.
Why should she pay for a bill for a thing not used, especially if others saw increases in their bills too? Are you suggesting that she and other property owners/tenants pay for what's appearing to be a mistake on the city's side?
Forensic Audit of the water department will reveal where this money has disappeared to.
They must be planning a big party at the water department ?
When are the Feds going to step in and fix this?
It seems like the meters need to be rethought, and those people denying refunds need to be fired.
Those that can, do. Those that can’t, have government jobs - and this is how you get those on the Water Board.
Why would you keep a derelict property, just sell it.
I wouldn't pay a damm thing
Can the residents sue the maker of the system that records these ridiculous numbers? If it's not coming from the meter, it's a software issue. I'd hate to think that this was a bill purposely given to unsuspecting individuals to grab their land/property.🤔🤨 Please keep digging.
paying for water is crazy why do you pay city taxes
The city used defective meters who wants to take that bet
Why did they wait 5 months? Did they actually pay that outrageous amount?
Just like any other utility companies, send you a wrong bill, make sure you can't pay on time and charge you a premium on penalty.
In NYC recently,most of my friends including myself, our water bill doubled.
You can not have plumbing and still have a leak? WTH? You NEED plumbing to HAVE a leak.
A 3/4 INCH warer line cannot flow that much water in that amount of time even with 200psl pressure. (Average pressure is around 40-70 psi.)
I'd sue them for stress. Ask for a jury trial if you can, and I bet you not only win, but win a massive amount. This is there broken meter.
It's the government they don't care. They don't have your best interest at heart. They don't want to take responsibility because then it shows that they weren't doing their job. So instead they go after people who they know can't pay. I think it's time to take this to a national level because clearly the city and probably even the state don't really care
She paying for the whole town water bill i would sue them
This is usually indicative of having a water leak between the meter and your house.
Replace the water line.
Better Call HARRY 😢
Sounds like someone is getting rich. The State or the Feds need to start an investigation into Atlanta Department of Watershed Management.
What’s going on back in my hometown. 😮
This keep happening in Atlanta
As Ronald Reagan once said...." Government is not the solution to the problem. Government IS the problem."
Should of counter sue the city
This is hatred.
The water board is doing this purposely to cover up their own water leaks.
One employee already admitted that in another case.
They are using these bad meters to pigeonhole the public to pay for THEIR mistakes.
They also made sure to not have a code to note the meter is defective, so they like a five year old throw their hands up saying 'well we have no other code so we have no other option.'
The State AG needs to get involved to force the city water department to replace the defective meters and have in place proper meter testing to ensure they are working properly and to verify that they need replacement when found defective.
The user manual for one meter noted nothing of an auto shut off mechanism when the meter was defective. The city attorney argued that it has this mechanism to turn off the meter when it becomes defective.
This is a well thought out plan to screw the public customers over to cover their mistakes which is a grave injustice.
The guy said "city side", not owner.
The city will go after her regardless
think, taxes: just because you dont receive a/ny service,doesnt mean you dont hav to pay for it...
This has happened before… I think the meter company needs a class action against it.
They are taking that money for their lovers
An all missed the meter readings? What did the meter show? Was it moving and counting up?
The person who put the meter in miss read to meter readings.
Get out of our town
corruption has run amok! Someone one is tricky in their dealings on this road. They may probably own a marijuana farm and the water is going there, but the bills go to the people.
Who could have guessed that the city of Atlanta was run by criminals?
That water company is a fraud they should get a $10 millions.
Why does the city keep using Neptune meters knowing they are defect?
Georgia Schools systems are not known or their mathematicians or their computer programmers. They did produce Newt Gingrich though.
Nickel Cranium Camden Mercury and everything else in that water for what they're charging you,... it better be lined with gold too!😮😮😎
America is lost.
They want her building for free. That's called American government. The United States government and judicial system is nothing but a business. They both get paid whether she "wins" or not. Let's face it, even if she does "win", she's lost alot just because she has to face and fight the issue. That's called a tyrannical government and judicial system.
Now you know the benefits of liberal politics.
They (company ) said l used an outrageous amount of electricity. I was cheated out my money . Help refused.
Looks like a lot of people need to find new jobs since they are unable to handle this one.
This seem like this is a big issue in Atlanta. They done this to multiple people.
Didn't this similar story happen to people who owned an empty lot. As for your so called appeals board should be dismissed yesterday
The news anchor is gorgeous 💃🏽!
Watershed Management needs a filter.
And no1 is fired for stupidity...imo
We can't get anything done anymore. America the inept