Villager stuck with huge water bill declares 'It's not even about the money anymore' - Villages-News

Villager stuck with huge water bill declares ‘It’s not even about the money anymore’ - Villages-News.com

A Villager hit with a bill for 25,860 gallons of water she never used has declared, “It’s not even about the money anymore.”

Carol Slezak who lives in the Virginia Vine Villas in the Village of Virginia Trace, was back Monday afternoon before the North Sumter County Utility Dependent District board. She had spoken out in June in protest of a mysterious bill for 25,860 gallons of water during the month of April. During that time, the water to her irrigation was turned off.

The Minnesota native claims she could not have used that much water in her two-bedroom courtyard villa.

She was granted a credit of $48.12 and still wound up with a $65 bill, which is the highest water bill she’s ever had at the villa.

District officials insist there is nothing wrong with the water meter at Slezak’s home. It’s a refrain that District officials have repeated often in the months in which residents have complained about mysterious surges in their water bills.

In response to residents’ complaints, the NSCUDD board approved an Unexplained High-Water Use Adjustment Policy. You can read the policy at his link: Unexplained High-Water Use Adjustment Policy

After Slezak went down to the District Office and filled out a form for a credit, she was informed that after “careful consideration and calculations” she still owed $65.

“What do you take into consideration when you calculate this? Who is making these decisions? I don’t know. I can’t get an answer,” Slezak said.

She alleged something is wrong and the water utility department won’t own up to it.

“It’s not even about the money anymore,” she told the NSCUDD board on Monday afternoon at its meeting at SeaBreeze Recreation Center.

Slezak left the meeting room with The Villages’ Utility Billing and Collections Manager Brandi Ricker, presumably for Ricker to explain why Slezak still owed $65 for water she never used.

NSCUDD Board member Dan Warren said the tier system used in assessing credits for water usage had not been applied properly in Slezak’s case.

“It’s a matter of being fair to our customers,” the Village of Gilchrist resident said. “Who decides this? We decide.”

He said the board needs to revisit the Unexplained High-Water Use Adjustment Policy.

Fellow NSCUDD Board member Ellie Decker agreed.

“It’s not a lot of money, but it might be to her,” she said of Slezak.