Water Valley Utilities Commission Explains Storm Bills
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Robbie Leard (right), an employee of the Water Valley Utilities Commission, reviews a detailed breakdown of electric usage with Debra Maynor during Monday night’s utility workshop at The Civic.
WATER VALLEY — When Debra Maynor opened her latest utility bill and saw a total nearing $450, almost $200 higher than her usual $250 monthly charge, she decided she needed answers.
“I found out the bill is basically for a month and a half rather than a month,” Maynor said Monday night after attending a public workshop hosted by the Water Valley Utilities Commission at The Civic.
Maynor said she was without electricity for almost a week following January’s ice storm. When commission staff reviewed her account, they showed her electric usage in 15 minute increments and explained that the billing cycle covered roughly 45 to 47 days instead of the normal 30.
“I also found out there are some of high usage times that they are going to research for me,” Maynor said.
Her experience set the tone for the meeting, where residents why the bills were higher than normal.
Commission Chairman Brandon Presley told the crowd that two main factors contributed to the increase.
First, the ice storm delayed water meter readings, which are read manually. Because water and electric bills are processed together, the delay extended the billing period.
“On this one, we had essentially 45 to 47 days,” Presley said. “You want to be in that 30 day range every month, and we would have been had we not had an ice storm.”
Second, homes consumed more electricity after power was restored following several days of below freezing temperatures.
“When we lost power and then your heat kicked back on, you’re using a lot more electricity to get that house back up to where it needs to be,” Presley said. “We can show you in 15 minute increments how long it took to warm that house back up.”
Presley repeatedly stressed that no rates or fees have been increased.
“We have not raised fees, we have not raised rates, we have not raised anything,” he said. “This is driven by weather.”
Confusion was compounded by a billing vendor mistake. Customers received a statement showing an incorrect April 3 due date. Presley said the vendor had been instructed to halt the mailing once the error was discovered, but the bills were sent anyway. A second bill was sent showing the correct due date.
“Customers who received that April 3 due date bill can throw it in the trash,” Presley said. “The corrected bill shows March 3 as the due date. The amount is the same.”
To address the hardship created by the storm and the billing delay, the commission extended the deadline before late penalties apply. Bank drafts will process March 13, but customers now have until March 16 to pay without incurring the late penalty.
“We wanted to be fair and reasonable,” Presley said. “Any account paid on or before March 16 will not incur that penalty.”
Presley also acknowledged broader concerns about the city’s billing cycle. Currently, bills are sent around the 13th of the month.
“At any given time, 65 percent of our customers are past due,” he said. “It’s not because they don’t want to pay their bills. It’s because they’re stuck in a cycle.”
The commission plans to explore shifting billing closer to the first of the month, with a mid month due date.
In addition, the commission has partnered with the Salvation Army to assist residents facing hardship. Qualified households may receive up to $300 annually toward their utility bills. Residents may call (662) 236-2260 between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, to schedule an appointment. Salvation Army representatives will also arrange times to collect required documentation at Water Valley City Hall so residents do not have to travel to Oxford.
A second workshop is scheduled next Monday night at The Civic from 5:30 to 7 p.m. for residents who were unable to attend the first one.
