Less than a week after an expert told NBC 7 Responds the city’s water meter testing procedures had “inadequacies” and past testing results were incomplete, the Public Utilities Department announced Wednesday they will be refunding customers who paid for meter tests during the past seven months.
The policy change will only cover tests performed in the current fiscal year, going back to July 1, 2017.
The city would not attribute the policy change to NBC 7 Responds’ investigation, rather Brent Eidson, External Affairs Director for the Public Utilities Department, said, “it really has to do with us being responsive to the concerns we’ve heard from our customers and that we’re trying to make this right based on the mistakes we’ve made.”
NBC 7 Responds shared with Thomas Kelly, the Standards Committee Chair for the American Water Works Association, water meter test results and footage of the city conducting a water meter test. After reviewing the materials, Kelly said he couldn’t determine if the tests were performed accurately due to incomplete results. Kelly also characterized the PUD testing equipment as “borderline obsolete” while acknowledging the equipment can still be used.
To read more about Kelly’s findings, click here.
News of the meter testing policy and other changes were announced at a community forum held in La Jolla Wednesday night, where the Public Utilities Department, along with Councilmember Barbara Bry’s office, addressed city customers who feel they were charged for water they hadn’t used.
“I’m thrilled,” Elizabeth Maget said, explaining when her water meter was swapped out for a new, AMI-ready meter, her following water bill increased dramatically.
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“Our bill shot up to over $1,000,” Elizabeth said. Normally she said she pays around $400 every two months.
Elizabeth said recently after she brought this discrepancy to the attention of Public Utilities Department staff, her account was credited over $650.
Eidson said the Public Utilities Department is working to gain back the trust of customers and stressed that anyone who feels they were charged more than they should have, even if they paid, should contact the agency.
“Obviously some mistakes were made from the Public Utilities Department,” Eidson said, “We want to rectify them.”
Eidson explained customers who experienced short-term (sudden) water-use spikes will only be required to pay for their normal water use, “not that extra spike amount and there will be no shutoff process during the investigation.” Customers are being asked to call the Public Utilities Department at 619-515-3500.
Eidson also addressed questions about smart water meter retrofits. A meter retrofit is where a direct-read or manually read meter is upgraded to have the ability to send water-use data wirelessly, without being read manually.
Last month, the Public Utilities Department told NBC 7 Responds no meter retrofits were taking place at residential homes.
Water meter retrofits have been attributed to billing errors in other cities across the country, including Atlanta, Georgia.
On Wednesday night, Eidson said the water department is retrofitting direct-read meters by replacing the register or the device on top of the meter that measures the water going through the device. Eidson stressed the agency is not making repairs or changing parts inside the meter itself.
With that said, Eidson said there is no indication the billing problems have any connection with the implementation of the city’s new smart meter program.
“We know we had some man-made mistakes and obviously, we’re owning up to those and trying to make our customers whole,” Eidson said, “We don’t know if there are mechanical mistakes, that’s what these investigations will determine.”
The city auditor’s investigation into the water billing process is expected to be released within the next few months.
