Villagers with unexplained surges in usage wondered where the water went - Villages-News

Villagers with unexplained surges in usage wondered where the water went - Villages-News.com

Villagers with unexplained surges in usage wondered where the water went in 2023.

William “B.J.” Thompson of the Village of Mallory Square sounded the alarm in January in an appearance before the North Sumter Community Utility Dependent District Board. The 14-year homeowner in The Villages explained that he always shuts off the water at the main shutdown valve before going home in the summer months to Ohio. When he and his wife are in The Villages, their water usage usually runs at 3,000 to 5,000 gallons per month, which is typical for occupied homes in The Villages.

Thompson was shocked to receive a bill that showed he had used 26,220 gallons of water at a time when he was up north and the water was shut off. Thompson added that he has his home checked regularly while he and his wife are in the Buckeye State. Nothing was amiss.

When Thompson attempted to report the irregularity to the utility department, he got little sympathy. He was told he probably had a leaky toilet.

Like many other Villagers with the mysterious surge of water usage, his usage suddenly returned to normal.

Officials stubbornly denied that any of the water meters had malfunctioned.

Jim and Nancy Maccari of the Village of Pinellas received a bill from The Villages Utility Department indicating they had used 201,230 gallons of water during the month of May. Their bill totaled $1,201.16.

Carol Slezak who lives in the Virginia Vine Villas in the Village of Virginia Trace, protested a mysterious bill for 25,860 gallons of water during the month of April.

“I want to know where that water went. The neighbors never saw anything. The dog goes out there. The dog never came back wet,” Slezak said.

She said the 25,860 gallons used over 28 days would equate to the use of 924 gallons per day or 38.5 gallons an hour. The next month, her water usage mysterious returned to a normal level.