It’s a mystery why Blayne Beacham’s monthly water bill has more than tripled in cost since July of 2011. Neither she, nor her Atlanta-area water company can pinpoint a reason for the unexpected increase. The realtor, who lives alone in a small three-bedroom home, has tried to appeal the bill at least twice but with no avail. As last fall and winter came and went, the tally reached nearly $800. Her meter was inspected by the district and a certified plumber inspected the property and found no leaks.
“This is absolutely absurd,” she told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “I have no way of proving I did not get a leak fixed, because I did not have a leak. I expressed my frustration and asked if I could please just get a new meter.” She was told no, Beacham said.
“Last night I opened my mailbox and got a bill for $9,224.40 — $2,638.68 worth of past charges, and $6,705.72 worth of new charges,” she said. “The thing that is so frustrating is that if I had a leak, and if I had gotten it fixed, how would my bill be this high?”
The water department has decided to install a data logger on her meter which will measure hour-by-hour usage. The meter must run for 30 days to track her usage, meaning Beacham must wait until mid-July for answers. She has hired a lawyer and is awaiting her court date.
The operations manager at American Leak Detection of Atlanta has contacted Beacham to offer her a full home leak detection audit free of charge. We will keep you posted on the eventual outcome.
To read more about Beacham’s ordeal, visit: http://www.businessinsider.com/blayne-beachams-9000-water-bill-2012-6
Tags: ga-atlanta