Audit reveals issues with Richmond gas, water billing - WWBT

Audit reveals issues with Richmond gas, water billing

RICHMOND, Va. (WWBT) -A city audit on the Department of Public Utilities reveals how much Richmond relies on estimated water and gas bills.

According to a report by the Office of the City Auditor, more than 131,000 utility bills were estimated during the last fiscal year.

That includes nearly 4,000 customers who never actually had their meter read. Estimates can sometimes lead to vastly higher or lower charges on a customer’s bill.

DPU provided a statement on how and when they estimate utility bills NBC12 in January , saying in part, “DPU employs meters that are read electronically as a computer-equipped truck drives by a residence or business, picking up signals. If the signal from the electronic reading device is blocked or unresponsive, the utility bill may be estimated based on previous usage. Estimated readings will be reflected on the utility bill with an “E” and may also occur when the meter box is covered by objects such as mulch, flowerbeds, trashcans, vehicles, or access is denied by a locked gate, large animal or inside location. Once an actual read is obtained, customers may notice a fluctuation in their bill with either a credit or a balance due.”

The audit also finds the city has allowed its backlog of unpaid bills to grow to more than 60 million dollars.

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