High Utility Bills Puzzle Apartment Residents
Unspecified water use described as higher than normal, may be why residents of the Ridge Pointe apartments in north Colorado Springs have been paying more for water and sewer since this past summer.
A spokesperson for NWP, a Texas company that collects utility bills for the complex, said on Tuesday that the complex had “historically high water levels” in May and June. The spokesperson said water use at the complex has declined since then, but remains higher than before.
The NWP spokesperson gave no specifics about how and where the water is used. However, one resident told KRDO Newschannel 13 he has seen the complex water its lawns heavily and at times that are unnecessary.
Ridge Pointe management has declined to comment on the situation, but the NWP spokesperson said the company will answer questions from affected residents if they call 512-495-7170.
KRDO Newschannel 13 began investigating the situation after residents complained that their bills had doubled and tripled. Christine O’Connor, a resident, said her monthly bill jumped from $65 to $120 and now averages around $100.
“It’s unusual,” O’Connor said. “I was traveling quite a bit. I wasn’t here using the facilities, but my bill was high. I’m a single woman. How much water could I be using?”
O’Connor said for now, she will continue to pay her bill.
Colorado Springs Utilities, which is not part of the Ridge Pointe situation, said in most cases when residents complain of unusually high bills, the residents are using more utilities than they believe.
Unknown water leaks and malfunctioning meters have in the past been blamed for suddenly higher utility bills, but those have not been indicated as factors at Ridge Pointe. So-called “smart” meters designed to help conserve utilities are commonly used in Colorado, California and Texas, and the meters have been linked to bill increases in those states.
If you believe your utility bill is unusually high, check with your utility company or bill collecting company because they often have a process for resolving disputes. You also may file a complaint about utility service or utility bills with the Colorado Public Utilities Commission. The link is:
http://www.dora.state.co.us/puc/consumer/CommentComplaintIndex.htm.
