DeKalb Set To Release 5,000 More Water Bills

DECATUR, GA -- DeKalb County will send residents more than 5,000 previously held water and sewer bills under a plan approved by CEO Michael Thurmond, the government announced Tuesday. The bills will be mailed beginning Aug. 14.

The July/August 2017 bills will reflect monthly or bi-monthly charges based on actual meter readings, the county said. (SIGN UP: For more information on this and other neighborhood stories, subscribe to Patch to receive daily newsletters and breaking news alerts. Or if you have an iPhone, download the free Patch app.)

“We are making significant progress as we continue to work to restore trust and integrity to the
water billing system by reducing the number of held bills,” Thurmond said. The move will bring to 13,000 the number of held bills that DeKalb will have released since April when 8,000 residents were mailed their first bills in months.

DeKalb Set to Release 8,000 Water Bills

Resuming the normal billing of water and sewer services remains a top priority for Thurmond, who added that that the new bills will not have late fees attached to them. Extended payment plans will be available on a limited basis for the held bills only, the county said.

When he took office in January, Thurmond vowed to get to the bottom of the crisis -- and he has kept his word, periodically addressing county residents on how his administration plans to fix the issues.

In a letter to county water and sewer customers in April, Thurmond apologized for the billing issues and laid out a plan on how DeKalb can move forward. In the letter, he said: "Please be advised that “held” bills will not be mailed until the root causes of billing inaccuracies have been identified and corrected. Customers whose bills have been “held” will not be penalized. When 'held' bills are released, charges will be based upon the appropriate tiered rate schedule. Upon request, extended payment terms with no late fees will be available for the “held” bills only."

DeKalb residents in need an extension to pay their bills are encouraged to contact the Utility Customer Operations Center at 774 Jordan Lane in Decatur or call (404) 378-4475 to speak with a customer service representative.

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