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Why some people pay more for water than their neighbors in Petersburg

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PETERSBURG, Va. -- Folks are asking the CBS 6 Problem Solvers to determine why they are paying nearly twice as much for water as their next-door neighbors in Petersburg.

"I definitely don't think it's fair,” said Brenda Morrison. “I don't think it's reasonable."

 Brenda Morrison

Brenda Morrison

Morrison, who has lived in her Petersburg home about 17 years, said she noticed a major change in her water bill last year.

"It was about the fall of 2017,” Morrison said. "All of a sudden water bills just went up, tremendously."

But she said that while her bill went up, most of her neighbors did not see an increase.

“There's one house, across the street, that I know that has a one-inch meter,” Morrison said. “Everyone else has a five-eighth-inch meter. Everyone pays about half what I pay."

Water meter

Water meter

Some of Morrison’s neighbors said that is not fair since she, and more than 1,000 others in the city, did not request the bigger meters.

"I don't understand why they are getting charged for more because they have a different size meter or water pipe,” neighbor Lester Wetsch said. "You've got 20 gallons going through one-inch or 20 gallons going through a five-eighth inch. Twenty gallons is 20 gallons."

Petition

Petition

As a result, Morrison and a small group of citizens have banded together circulating Petersburg Citizen's Petition Against Discriminatory Water Billing petitions in hopes of making everyone in the city pay the same rate for water.

"A gallon of water is a gallon of water,” Morrison said.

CBS 6 reached out to Petersburg officials about the difference in water rates and a spokesperson provided this statement:

"While the city is aware of citizen concerns, there is currently no plan to change the meter sizing structure. Regarding the senior billing pilot program, there has been no action taken yet."

Depend on CBS 6 News and WTVR.com for updates on this important local story. CBS 6 News is working for you. Click here to email a tip to the CBS 6 Problem Solvers. Be sure to leave us your name, phone number and detailed description of the problem. You can also leave a message by calling 804-254-3672.

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