The Politics Meister

Check out the latest installment of odd Baltimore water bill news courtesy of Twitter.

It seems like a lot of people recently received a $70.59 water bill in the mail. I personally know of three other locations that received a $70.59 water bill covering the most recent billing period.

Is this just a coincidence or is there a computer glitch that is sending out identical water bills to random addresses?

Here is an email that was forwarded to me that talks about the recent rash of $70.59 bills which appear to be cover an “extra” billing period:

“I’m gonna bet that the $70.59 is a minimum usage charge for  5/8 inch lines. My neighbors and I were recently given what we believe to be an ‘extra’ bill and the minimums charged were full amounts even though the supposedly ‘overlooked’  bill is for half a normal billing cycle. We argued that the bill was unwarranted. We lost. We argued that a minimum bill for half a billing period should be half as much as normal. We lost. We were told that a minimum charge is a minimum charge and cannot be halved.”

I still wonder if the entire water billing process is mostly random.

The City Paper recently reported on a City Council generated water bill initiative. Check out the paragraph about Bill 11-0685 Water – Required Meter Readings Would require the Public Works Department to make actual rather than estimated water meter readings.

The following public works press release may mark the beginning of the end of random water bills in Baltimore:

“Public Works Announces Water Meter

Reading and Billing Systems Overhaul

Today, the Director of Baltimore City Public Works, Mr. Alfred H. Foxx announced the Department’s preliminary plans for a complete overhaul of water meter reading and billing.

In a Baltimore City Council hearing today, chaired by Councilman James Kraft, Baltimore City Public Works responded to water utility meter reading and billing concerns and announced plans to completely overhaul the current system which has been in place for more than 30 years and predates most of the Department’s current staff.

With more than 400,000 metered accounts across the region, the task of updating meter reading technology and billing is a daunting one. Director Foxx stated: “Mayor Rawlings-Blake’s directive to make government more efficient and responsive is clear and all the more pressing in a Department that provides critical services not only to the citizens of Baltimore City, but to 1.8 million citizens throughout the metropolitan region. Since taking leadership of Public Works late last summer, I have watched customer complaints closely, and began working with staff to assess the current system and plan improvements both short and long term to increase meter reading efficiency and accuracy; as well as tackling the need for greater responsiveness to customer concerns. It is a big task, but improving customer service must be our number one priority.”

The Department’s short term plan includes reorganization of staffing, retooling of customer service guidelines, and a reduction in time to resolve billing errors and meter checks. Medium range solutions will focus on the replacement of commercial water meters with automated meters, reassignment of all meter reading staff to residential accounts, and careful monitoring of the chosen automated meter system for accuracy and effectiveness.

Once satisfied that the chosen automated system has been thoroughly tested, the Department will look to expand that system, over time, to all water customers. At the same time, a redesign and update of the water and sewer billing system is also planned. Ultimately, customers will see a more customer friendly bill format that is easy to understand, provides historical account information allowing comparisons of a customer’s previous water usage, and, with automated meters in place, could even see real time account information on-line.

Acting Bureau Head of Water and Wastewater, Rudy Chow said, “All of our plans are in direct response to the emails and letters we receive from our customers every day. We are intent on improving the service we provide today, and long term, in giving our customers an updated metering and billing system and a re-energized and responsive customer service experience.”

While the Department is not waiting to make improvements within the current system, the costly replacement of metering and billing systems would be mapped out and implemented over a two to five year time period. Baltimore City Public Works wants to engage the community in its plans for updated systems and will be hosting community forums and, even customer focus groups, to review and provide input as plans for these significant changes develop.”