Eureka residents stunned by their higher water bills under Missouri American Water will realize a small reprieve on their next bill.
Brian Eisenloeffel, senior director of operations, said Missouri American Water will give residents a 20 percent credit on their next water bill because they were charged for too many days of service on the first bill they received from the company.
He said the bills were based on the city’s last meter reading which was July 26. Missouri American Water took over the city’s water and sewer systems on Aug. 4.
“We’re going to give a 20 percent credit just on the usage component of our bill in this next billing cycle,” Eisenloeffel said. “It will not impact their sewer charges, and it won’t impact the flat rate because that was just for the one month. The usage is going to be a 20 percent credit.”
Eureka Mayor Sean Flower said Missouri American Water is properly addressing the billing issue with the one-time credit.
“There was a legitimate issue with there being too many days included in the billing cycle,” he said.
However, the incorrect billing dates are where most of the problems stop, the company said.
Eisenloeffel said the rate and meter reading on bills issued to Eureka customers were accurate.
“I think we’ve been pretty honest with folks from the beginning that the water rates were going to go up under our ownership,” he said. “That was part of public meetings. There was a calculator online. We did the best we could to communicate what those rates would be.”
Outcry
Many Eureka residents were shocked at the new rate and shared their outrage on social media.
Rick Horton, 44, of Eureka said his first bill from Missouri American Water was $235 after he typically paid $105 a month when the city ran the water system.
A Missouri American Water spokeswoman said water rates for a typical customer, who uses 4,200 gallons a month, rose from $27.50 to about $35 and rates for a typical customer for sewer rose from $25.50 to $45.
Horton said his bill indicated he used 11,000 gallons more than he had previously used, and that when he contacted Missouri American Water about his bill, he was told to pay what he felt was right.
He said he filed a complaint with the Public Service Commission about his bill.
Horton also said he was disappointed that it took Flower several days to post information about the situation. The mayor addressed the billing issue in Facebook posts on Sept. 26 and 29.
Eureka residents began receiving Missouri American Water bills Sept. 15-16.
“I think the city of Eureka needs to pay more attention to what the residents ask for,” Horton said. “I think it needs to be a situation of when we ask a question, don’t blow it off. Give us some answers.”
Brandon Jacobson, 34, of Eureka said his bill only went up about $30, but he is more concerned that he is being charged for a 1-inch meter when he has a 5/8-inch meter.
“I didn’t even run my sprinklers this last month,” he said.
Raising fees
Flower said residents were told before the vote to sell the water and sewer systems that rates would go up, whether or not the sale was approved.
“Just to simplify it, Eureka water for years had been way too cheap. It was below our cost to deliver it,” he said. “The rates had to go up one way or the other.”
Flower said he understands residents’ reaction to the higher bills.
“Not everybody is going to be happy, not everybody voted for it, I get it,” he said. “But I think overall for as big of a transaction (as the sale is), we’re all working through it pretty good.”
Eisenloeffel said the company has received a high number of calls about the bills. However, most understand the bills at the end of the call after a company representative explained their historical water usage and the new rate.
He said the new meters Missouri American Water installed also can show water usage per hour.
“By the time that conversation kind of wraps up, you really just educated them on what they are really using, and there’s really not a lot of disputing it at that point because the data is there to support it,” he said.
He said the new meters have been pinpointing leaks in many homes.
“We all sleep at some point when we’re not working and those 3 a.m. usages where you’re using 100 gallons or something that doesn’t make sense, that’s not going to the bathroom in the middle of the night. That’s continuous usage,” he said.
Eisenloeffel said another reason bills are higher is because Missouri American Water’s charges are based on meter size, which was not previously factored into the city’s bills.
The company is in the process of changing customers’ meters, and Eisenloeffel said about 70 percent of the meters in the city have been replaced. He said most residents will have a 5/8-inch meter, but some will have a 1-inch or 1 1/2-inch meter.
He also said the company is working to install the correct size of meters throughout the city.
Eisenloeffel said not all residential meters were changed before the first bill, so the company billed residents as if they have a 5/8-inch meter.
“We’re proactively changing some meters out to downsize them so that they’re not getting that additional charge,” he said. “They’re actually getting the right size of meter, but then they’re also being charged the right amount for what their facility or their house needs.”
Eisenloeffel said the company has performed some work on the water plants in the city, but nothing that should impact the quality or taste.
“We are doing what I would call more routine or minor maintenance at the facilities,” he said.
He said the company is building a pipeline from its Wildwood facility.
“We’ve got pipe ordered, just waiting for a couple more things to happen, and we will break ground before the end of this year,” he said.
Eisenloeffel said if customers do not feel their bill is right, he encourages them to call.
“We’re here to help and we want to be as transparent as possible and give them as much information as they can,” he said.
Eisenloeffel said residents can email welcomemoaw@amwater.com or call 314-996-2202.