Bessemer Utilities updates disconnecting water service in Ross Bridge

HOOVER, Ala. (WBRC) — Dozens of homeowners in the Ross Bridge area came home to find their water service from Bessemer Utilities disconnected on Monday and reached out to 6 On Your Side for answers.

Though the Ross Bridge development is in Hoover’s city limits, much of the area is in the Bessemer Utilities water service area.

On Your Side Investigator Jonathan Hardison reached out to Bessemer Utilities, and Utilities Director Jerry Yarbrough reports the utility sent out 240 disconnection warning notices last week to customers in the Ross Bridge route, and disconnected 80 of those homes Monday.

Yarbrough says most of those 80 homes have since resolved any outstanding payment issues and water service has been re-connected.

Yarbrough says the utility routinely reviews billing statuses based on its routes, and the Ross Bridge route was up for review.

WBRC heard from several Bessemer Utilities customers in Ross Bridge who say they’ve been getting bills in inconsistent increments, and some with a notice that because of the lateness of the bill being issued–they don’t owe any late fees. Some of the customers who had service disconnected told WBRC they didn’t know they were considered delinquent and/or are in the process of disputing a bill. One customer told WBRC their water was disconnected incorrectly when the disconnection was meant for their next-door neighbor.

WBRC made Yarbrough aware of some specific examples of customer issues, and Yarbrough says he resolved most of those, and admitted it is possible crews incorrectly disconnected a house but if so, that was corrected.

Yarbrough says Bessemer Utilities hasn’t made major changes to its billing software or processes recently.

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