Emergency!!! Water Shut off mother of 8 for overcharge!!! (Conroe, Rockwall: 2015, lawyer)

[mrsknox11]

I am a mother of 8 on lake Conroe. I received a water bill for 1,599.00 for August. WMD overcharged me for 141,000 gallons. I tried to file a dispute and get them to investigate but they refused. The best offer
Was for me to pay half. I told them I would not pay for water I did not use. I filed a law suit October 24, 2016.
Then Friday I met with the Lawyer who agreed to represent me only to come home and find the water company pulled my meter right before thanksgiving. My initial inspection of my meter upon receiving this bill it was covered with a foot of mud and the meter was so scratched you couldn't make out the reading.
Now my children have no water. We have had to go stay with relatives on pallets on the floor.
Channel 2 news has contacted me and I pray this story circulates enough to raise outrage against this fraud.
When I tried to resolve it peacefully they refused to work with my large family. We had no leaks I brought in contractors to do an inspection. I have pictures, statements and evidence this is fraud. I need help.
[Mod cut: do not post personal info here] This is Thanksgiving and my children are heartbroken that we are not having
Our Thanksgiving as scheduled unless the Onjinction is filed.

[colcat]

It sounds like you have everything in line to fight this. Although, a lawyer may charge more than the actual bill, unless he is doing it pro bono. Thankfully, you and your kids have a place to stay until this is resolved. Good luck.

[tdpasley]

Contact the Institute of Justice. They are nonprofit and may be able to help.

[Texas Built]

Something does not add up about your story. They don't come pull the meter because one unpaid bill you are contesting. I'm betting you did not pay your bill for months and you ignored them after they refused to drop the payment. You have to mess up really bad for them to pull your meter, and you get endless warnings before they do. Before they pull your meter you are given notice about the date they are going to do that.


[Mod cut: rude/personal/assumption]

[DSL_PWR]

Originally Posted by Texas Built

Something does not add up about your story. They don't come pull the meter because one unpaid bill you are contesting. I'm betting you did not pay your bill for months and you ignored them after they refused to drop the payment. You have to mess up really bad for them to pull your meter, and you get endless warnings before they do. Before they pull your meter you are given notice about the date they are going to do that.


[Mod cut: rude/personal/assumption]

the truth shall set you free.....

[crone]

Originally Posted by Texas Built

Something does not add up about your story. They don't come pull the meter because one unpaid bill you are contesting. I'm betting you did not pay your bill for months and you ignored them after they refused to drop the payment. You have to mess up really bad for them to pull your meter, and you get endless warnings before they do. Before they pull your meter you are given notice about the date they are going to do that.


[Mod cut: rude/personal/assumption]

Are you that familiar with the water provider in Conroe?

Rockwall Texas sent out bills and you had 5 days to pay. They would pull the meter. Gas, too.

My retired Air Force office neighbor was out of town for a week, came home to find no utilities and a missing meter.

[oceangaia]

Originally Posted by Texas Built

Something does not add up about your story. They don't come pull the meter because one unpaid bill you are contesting. I'm betting you did not pay your bill for months and you ignored them after they refused to drop the payment. You have to mess up really bad for them to pull your meter, and you get endless warnings before they do. Before they pull your meter you are given notice about the date they are going to do that.


[Mod cut: rude/personal/assumption]

Did you read the story? She hasn't paid since August because the bill was for an outrageous incorrect sum that is beyond her means to pay. How is it "messing up really bad"? It doesn't matter how many notices and warnings she got, if the bill is incorrect then she shouldn't have to pay it.

What they should do is set the contested amount aside, bill her for actual usage after that, and leave the water service intact.

[Lyndarn]

Originally Posted by oceangaia

Did you read the story? She hasn't paid since August because the bill was for an outrageous incorrect sum that is beyond her means to pay. How is it "messing up really bad"? It doesn't matter how many notices and warnings she got, if the bill is incorrect then she shouldn't have to pay it.

What they should do is set the contested amount aside, bill her for actual usage after that, and leave the water service intact.

That's exactly how the Water company operates..IF she paid that bill..in of that alone she accepts that bill from August... SO What does regular citizens do?? By paying the bill( if she could even afford it) would appear to justify the charge. It's a State Utility issue ( nothing to do with Feds).. but bureaucracy seems to deflect their responsibility..when it's obvious..No Agency can refuse to investigate..then pull services without a finding!! Me thinks this Agency requires a total audit!!

It's actually a easy thing for the OP to prove..since History of usages is on record..But by cutting water OFF makes it more glaring!! That makes it political..and representative..local and STATE MUST address sooner rather than later..HUGE $$ could very well be required to pay off such hardships. But let Civil Courts deal with it..and OP needs to keep all receipts for out of pocket cost due to Utility gouging..without ability to redress the issue .. No Utitlity should ever be allowed to put living humans/family without being JUDGED..Legislators need to address NOW..not months down the road..as this now come to a Life and Death situation for a Family..( In all truth I do believe this happens more often than not!! )

[westhou]

What does being a mother of 8 have to do with anything? You could have left that part out of your story. As soon as people start with that over the top stuff I know they have a weak case. Just say you were being overcharged and didn't want to pay and your service was cut. No one wants to pay for something they didn't use and that's enough to gain people's sympathy. But going on about your 8 kids sleeping on pallets is unnecessary. WMD didn't force your kids on pallets and a disappointing Thanksgiving is just about what 90% of the country experiences every year.

Find a pro bono lawyer and sue them.

[crone]

My water bill is higher than the electric bill. And we are two old poop's and an even older tiny dog. I cannot even imagine what 8 kids would do to it.

The operator the MUD hired fought my single woman neighbor for two years over the 250 +/- water bill every month. She was often gone 2 or 3 weeks at a time. She paid it as soon as it came. The operator finally relented and swapped out the meter. The bill was 35 a month after that.

They never said a word or gave back a dime. She should have filed a complaint. Some of these operators are pretty arrogant knowing they won't get fired.