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Citizens Water and Sewer Advisory Board reports on complaints, leak adjustments and PFAS monitoring
Summary
The board summarized membership, billing complaint handling, reliance on Resolution 96R‑1797 for leak adjustments, and said Veolia and the water plant handle PFAS testing; the board noted the drinking water report meets federal and state standards.
Sam Robinson, chair of the Citizens Water and Sewer Advisory Board, presented the board's annual update Monday, outlining membership, complaint handling, policy references and water quality monitoring practices.
Robinson said the board has been operating with six of seven members for the year; one vacancy remains advertised. He said members meet bimonthly (except January) and that the board routinely handles dissatisfied customer billing complaints—referrals come to the board 100% of the time when a customer asks for review. Robinson cited specific recent examples: high bills caused by a toilet left running for a month and a faucet left open due to suspected vandalism; the board referred the vandalism case to the police and reviewed details in a subsequent meeting.
The board uses Resolution 96R‑1797 (the city’s 1996 water and sewer adjustment policy, including Exhibit A) to determine leak adjustments on a case‑by‑case basis. Robinson noted the board had to cancel two meetings this year for lack of quorum and that it handled four in‑person customer billing complaints since the prior year (three the previous year).
On water quality, Robinson said the 2024 annual drinking water quality report shows the city’s drinking water “is safe and meets federal and state requirements.” Board members raised cybersecurity and physical security concerns related to water and wastewater utilities; Robinson said he referred updated American Society of Civil Engineers guidance on physical security for water utilities to the engineering department. He said the board brings EPA items (PFAS, cybersecurity) to staff for review.
Russ Bergman, identified as the staff liaison, told council the city’s water plant performs PFAS testing and that Huber Heights has not shown PFAS issues at the plant. Bergman also noted the city uses softening filters that would remove PFAS if any were present at the wells. Robinson said some local PFAS concerns have been tied to Wright‑Patterson Air Force Base (discussed regionally), and that Huber Heights is upstream of certain affected areas.
Robinson thanked council for allowing the board to present and asked whether council had questions. Council members praised the board’s outreach and its review of the capital improvement plan and noted the board’s EPA expertise (Lisa Jeter was identified as a subject‑matter contributor to EPA issues).
Ending: Council heard the report and asked for no immediate action; staff and the board will continue regular reporting and will bring specific items (e.g., capital plan review) back to council as needed.
