It’s not the first-time residents in Oberlin have complained about their water and outrageous bills.
But some are in a bind because Town Hall says the high bills are from leaks and that residents are responsible for paying.
Two neighbors on Joe Pete Avenue say their most recent water bills were hundreds of dollars.
Mack Slate says there’s no way he’s paying more than $500 dollars for 14,000 gallons of water he says he didn’t use.
“Trying to charge me for 14,000 gallons of water when my meter don’t even read 14 gallons right now,” said Slate.
“No ma’am, I don’t have it. I get a check once a month. I got other bills I have to pay,” he said.
Slate’s water is cut off. He gets water from others.
“My neighbor. This woman, that woman, that guy back over there. And I go to my sister’s and take a shower and everything,” he said.
Neighbor Norma Dale disputes her bill of around $600, but her son paid it so she would not get cut off.
“I had tried to look on the meter itself, but it always is full of water and dirt and there’s no way I can clear out the meter and look at it,” said Dale.
Mayor Joseph “Moochie” Manuel declined to appear on camera, but says residents are responsible for leaks on their side and that he cannot forgive big bills.
But Slate says no way was his leak that big.
“It ain’t leaked no 1,400 gallons. We could fish out here if it did,” said Slate.
Slate also takes issue with new meter readers.
“Automatic readers do not work. When your meter is a foot under dirt, I know it don’t work,” he said.
But the mayor says the meter readers are accurate and show the time, quantity and location of leaks.
Mayor Manuel says they are looking for an agency to help Slate pay his bill so that his water can be restored.
https://www.kplctv.com/2022/02/24/oberlin-residents-complain-huge-water-bills/