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Central Arkansas Water explains estimated bills, outlines timeline for merger 'search' charges
Summary
Central Arkansas Water told the Maumelle City Council that estimated water bills occur when meter readers cannot access a meter and are later reconciled; CAW also summarized the history and projected roll‑off timeline for merger-related ‘search’ charges and answered council questions about customer remedies and fraud targeting.
Doug Shackleford, public affairs officer for Central Arkansas Water, told the Maumelle City Council on June 16 that CAW reads meters manually across roughly 150,000 accounts and estimates usage only when field crews cannot access a meter. "Sometimes it is necessary to estimate a meter read," Shackleford said, explaining that inaccessible meter boxes (mud or debris) or vehicles parked over meters are frequent causes. He said customer service generates a ticket after an unsuccessful read, the account is flagged as EST in the billing system, and clerks base an estimate on recent months’ usage; CAW will reconcile the estimate on the next successful manual read.
Why it matters: several council members said residents reported estimated bills two to three times their normal charges. Council Member Tierney pressed CAW on how customers can contest a high estimate and whether CAW notifies customers in advance. Shackleford said customers who receive an unexpectedly high bill should call CAW; customer service can see an EST flag, explain the ticket reason (for example, "meter box filled with mud" or "vehicle parked over meter") and request a reread or a field visit to correct the account.
Shackleford also reviewed the history and purpose of CAW’s merger-related "search" charges. He said a short‑term charge tied to transition costs rolled off Nov. 1, 2018; an intermediate, 10‑year charge used for system repairs (meters, service lines, pipe replacement) is in place and, per the presentation, is scheduled to end in 2026; and a longer‑term consolidation charge that pays merger debt is expected to roll off around 2032, depending on investment returns and system growth. He emphasized the long‑term charge is devoted to debt service only.
CAW also addressed related customer concerns. On service-line insurance, Shackleford said the utility does not sell or endorse homeowner service‑line insurance because utility jurisdiction stops at the meter under state law; any insurance for the private side of a service line would be a homeowner decision. He described a prior fraud scheme in which a company left Spanish‑language door hangers falsely claiming water was unsafe, which led CAW to alert affected neighborhoods.
What’s next: CAW advised residents who believe their bill is in error to contact customer service to request a reread. The council did not take any formal action on billing practices during the meeting.
