RICHMOND, Va. -- A Richmond resident reached out to the Problem Solvers for help with a water bill issue that goes back to January 2016.
William Norwood, Jr.. age 75, moved into a rental house on Garber Street in the Fulton area. Two days later he said he received a $900 water bill from the city.
Mr. Norwood, who is blind, has his mail opened by his son. They both said that the bills, which also include gas and wastewater fees, continued to be high over the following months.
Mr. Norwood believed that there was a leak on the city's side and said he continued to pay the high bills out of concern he would lose services.
But he said he let the city know there was a leak. At the end of December, someone from the city came out to investigate the meter. On January 6, 2017 the Department of Public Utilities found and repaired a water leak on the city side of Norwood's water meter.
"They done gave me the run around for a year," he said. "Telling me 'you have a leak somewhere' they were saying it was on this property but the whole time it was out there at the meter."
Norwood tells CBS 6 that he wants his money refunded, not his account credited.
"I need them to do it right away, because I am the poor person," he said. They've been taking my money for the last year and how do they expect me to live."
A spokesperson for DPU said that Norwood's case was considered resolved as of Jan. 6. When the leak is discovered on the city side of the meter, the customer bill is credited 100% of the excess water charges and 100% of the excess wastewater charges from when the leak first showed up.
She explained that when the leak is discovered on the city side of the meter, the customer bill is credited 100 percent of the excess water charges and 100 percent of the excess wastewater charges from when the leak first showed up.
"One of our Customer Care Managers walked him through the charges on his account and let him know why the amount was what it was," said Angela Fountain. "At the end of that conversation, he was in agreement. Please discuss with him what all of his charges entailed, as all of the charges were not water charges. That is all I can say about that."
Mr. Norwood, who spoke with CBS 6 after that conversation, said he does not consider the situation resolved.
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