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Mount Vernon resident urges review after duplex charged double on single water meter
Summary
Resident Mike Hillier told the Mount Vernon City Council that his duplex at 217 East Sugar Street is billed at double the minimum on a single meter, asking staff to review the practice as the city completes a rate study and installs GPS-enabled meters.
Mike Hillier, a Mount Vernon property owner, told the City Council he is being charged double on the water bill for a duplex at 217 East Sugar Street that has a single meter and two separate living units.
"That at 217 East Sugar has never had a water bill over the minimum cost. But yet I get charged double because I have one meter for one house. I think that's ludicrous," Hillier said during the meeting. He said converting to two meters would cost ‘‘thousands of dollars’’ and that the extra bill he now pays is greater than one month's rent from the upstairs unit.
Council members and staff told Hillier the city is conducting a rates study and expects to have more information this summer. A staff member said, "We're shooting for the July" completion of the rate study, and that staff will analyze billing practices as part of that review.
Hillier also said the city has installed GPS-enabled meters, which he understood would allow staff to detect unexpected increases in water usage. He asked the council to investigate whether the city can better identify instances like his where one meter serves multiple units and whether the minimum charge structure should be adjusted.
Council discussion included alternatives suggested by one member to lower the minimum charge rather than increase it uniformly, and references to other jurisdictions' approaches (flat fees versus usage-based charges) were made as context for the city's options.
No formal motion or vote was recorded on the billing complaint itself. Staff said they would include the issue in the ongoing rates study and return with additional information; Hillier said he would follow up at a later meeting.
Hillier's comments were made during a council meeting item designated for new business/public comment on utility billing and rate issues.
