Equipment 'Communication Error' May Be to Blame for Outrageously High DeKalb County Water Bills

DeKalb County officials said a "communication error" between meters and the billing center may be to blame for a rash of outrageously high water bills residents have been receiving over the past few months.

Dozens of residents showed up to protest the bills and demand answers at a town hall meeting Thursday.

Several of the residents came to the meeting armed with water bills in the hundreds of dollars--some even into the thousands, AJC.com reported.

One man who said his bill jumped from $43 the previous month to $458, said the customer service representatives he called blamed him for using too much water, rather than offering to help.

During the town hall meeting, DeKalb County COO Zach Williams said officials recently discovered the equipment communication error, which may be to blame for the unusually high bills, CBS-46 reported.

County officials said they have heard the call of residents who are fed up. Interim DeKalb CEO Lee May has put together a team of officials called the "Customer Assurance Team," who will help review residents' water bills and guide them through billing disputes.

May has also issued a moratorium on residents' water being shut off if the resident follows these steps:

1. The resident formally disputes the amount of their water bill.
2. The resident continues to pay their average water bill while the dispute is under review. The average is calculated by taking the average amount of water use over the past 12 months, or six billing cycles.

The county agrees the resident's water will not be shut off as long as average bill amount is paid, until the official review of the resident's account is completed.

The moratorium will be in effect until at least Dec. 31.

Anyone who receives a water bill that is significantly higher than usual can contact customer service one of three ways:

• Call Utility Customer Operations at 404-378-4475 between 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through Friday.
• Visit the offices at 774 Jordan Lane, Suite 200 in Decatur Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• E-mail dekalbwaterbillingfn@dekalbcountyga.gov.

An online guide to ongoing water issues and the moratorium on shutting off service is available here.