Chicago family says $233,000 water bill is a mistake but city won't back down

The stress of a six-figure utility bill is weighing on Diane Carli.

“They’re going to put me in my grave, because I might look all, all ‘peaches and cream,’ but inside you’re killing me,” 82-year-old Carli tearfully told NBC 5 Responds in front of her family’s vacant home in Chicago’s Back of the Yards neighborhood.

The home has been in Carli’s family for decades and holds a lot of memories. Her daughter, Lisa, pointed to a boarded-up window in the back of the property and told NBC 5 Responds, “I have a boyhood picture of my dad and his mom looking out this window.”

After Carli’s husband died, she and her two daughters wanted their names added to the deed of the property. It was previously in her husband’s name. According to Carli, the water department told her the property needed to be inspected before their names could be added to the deed.

Carli told NBC 5 Responds that during that inspection, the water department installed a new meter without her authorization or knowledge. According to Chicago plumbing code, a written application must be submitted to the commissioner of water by the person desiring such service. But Carli said she never applied for a new meter.

Roughly one year after the new meter was installed, a water bill for $233,000 showed up at Carli’s primary residence.

“I was shocked, but I thought it was a misprint,” she said.

Carli learned that, until now, the water bills were being sent to the boarded-up home. She told NBC Chicago the water department acknowledged there may be a problem with the meter, so they replaced it.

After the meter swap, the water usage for the property went down to zero, according to the Carli family. But the City of Chicago insisted they still owe the $233,000 bill.

As they were fighting the city over the bill, the family saw another NBC 5 Responds report about a family that faced a $14,000 water bill from the city. NBC Chicago helped get the bill corrected and suggested contacting your alderman if you have a similar problem.

That’s exactly what the Carli family did: They called their alderman, Raymond Lopez. Standing outside of the vacant property, Ald. Lopez told NBC 5 Responds, “I’ve been inside the house. I see where the water service starts and stops and is capped inside the building. And if it’s been like that for the past two years, then there’s no way that this bill is legitimate.”

Lopez said he’s astounded at how unwilling the city has been to address the bill.

“Clearly there’s a mistake,” said Lopez.

Ald. Lopez said he’s working on arranging a site visit with the city comptroller and the water department so everyone can see the home in person.

Carli is hopeful the water bill dispute will be resolved before the city garnishes not only her pension as a former city employee, but also the pensions of her two daughters who are now on the deed to the property. They’re both retired Chicago police officers.

Ald. Lopez told NBC 5 Responds, “Their whole livelihood is about to be upended because the city’s making a mistake and unwilling to answer for it.”

As of publication, NBC 5 Responds has been in touch with the City of Chicago about the Carli family’s bill. The city told us it “does not comment on the individual accounts of customers to protect their privacy.”

The city didn’t respond to NBC Chicago’s request for an interview with the water commissioner.