Local business owner asks council to reduce $1,176 water charge after service line leak

Steve Geiger, a longtime business owner on South Main Street, asked the council to reduce or waive a $1,176.79 water bill that reflected two months of unusually high consumption (about 270,000 gallons per month). Geiger said he did not use the extra water, that a contractor working on a nearby project had been digging and that a private service line was replaced by contractor Emily. He said the property had been leased and the water account remained in his name during the lease.

City staff explained that usage measured on the meter is billed to the account holder and that the city is responsible only to the street side of the meter. Staff said leaks on the customer side can produce very large consumption totals and that the billing department had already reduced the usage charges to tier‑1 pricing, lowering the bill by roughly $400. Staff committed to reading the repaired meter with city personnel present before the next meeting to verify it is no longer recording unusually high flows, and to accept documentation (closing documents) if ownership changed and the bill should be transferred.

The council did not vote on the requested waiver at the work meeting; the matter is scheduled for a public hearing and decision at the next meeting after staff confirms meter readings and any ownership documentation.