$1,000 water bill fight defeats Alberta homeowner

A homeowner issued a $1,000 water bill has discovered she has no recourse but to pay the massive bill.

I feel alone, nobody to turn to, said Brookes Wallace. Im one person fighting by myself. Im very upset.

Nobody has any idea where Im supposed to turn for help- Brookes Wallace

Wallaces monthly water bill for her Lacombe, Alta., bungalow usually ranges between $70 and $90, but in February 2013, she was billed $1,086.39, plus tax.

Wallace rents the bungalow to long-term tenants.

Its a joke. Two tenants cant use that much water, Wallace said.

Wallace complained to the City of Lacombe which agreed to remove the meter and have it tested.

Enough water to fill a swimming pool

When the city said the meter was found to be accurate, Wallace paid a professional plumber $250 to test the home for leaks.

He found none.

In his report Brian Brown said he believed the meters reading was incorrect, either because of a fault with the meter itself or with its remote counter.

Brown estimated the amount of water shown on Wallaces bill was enough to fill a swimming pool, and that for the reading to be accurate all the cold water taps in the house would have to have been running fully-open, 24 hours a day for 14 days.

But the City of Lacombe disputes the plumbers report, saying he inspected the house for leaks 2 months after the giant bill.

Matthew Goudy, infrastructure services director for Lacombe, also says bills of this size arent uncommon.

The city reads water meters once every two months, and estimates the consumption for the months in between, he said.

That means the water was actually used over 60 days and that its entirely plausible it was caused by a running toilet or leaky tap, Goudy said.

City stands by billed amount

Nevertheless, the city sent Wallaces meter for testing again, this time to the manufacturer. It determined the meter was actually recording too little water.

Once we had those two tests there was no way to rationalize anything other than the fact the water had gone through the meter and she had used it, Goudy said.

Wallace appealed to the city as well as her councillors and the mayor trying to get an independent ruling.

Nobody has any idea where Im supposed to turn for help, Wallace said.

Wallace was given some hope, after a CBC Go Public story about a Lacombe-area senior.

Sid Morris had a similar dispute over a natural gas bill. His gas meter was also declared accurate and he was threatened with being cut off if he didnt pay.

Morris and CBC News were told no government agency had the authority to intervene.

But an employee with Measurement Canada saw the story.

Measurement Canada has a legislated mandate to approve, regulate and inspect meters, and investigate consumer complaints, although this role is not widely advertised.

The federal agency tested Morriss gas meter and found it to be faulty. His massive bill was reversed.

Water meters excluded from federal legislation

However Wallaces hopes were dashed when she discovered water meters are specifically exempt from the federal Weights and Measures Regulations, along with other measuring devices, including parking meters, clocks, and coin-operated scales for weighing people.

It was my last straw, Wallace said. My last hope.

This wasnt supposed to be the case.

In 2004, after a lengthy consultation with the water industry and municipalities, senior Measurement Canada managers agreed the agency should approve all meter types for use, require periodic testing of meters, and be responsible for investigating consumer complaints.

But according to Industry Canada, the required legislation was never passed by the Paul Martin government or, since 2006, the Harper government.

I think its reprehensible, said Edmonton-Strathcona MP Linda Duncan.

Whats the point of wasting time engaging people and asking for their advice coming out with these reports, and not acting on them? Duncan said.

Duncan believes Industry Canada should start regulating and inspecting water meters right away.

However, a spokesperson for Minister of Industry James Moore indicated that is not likely to happen.

Utilities contacted by Go Public said they dont inspect water meters unless they get an unusual reading.

EPCOR, Edmontons water utility, will test a meters accuracy if a customer requests it.

The customer is charged $80 if EPCOR finds the meter to be accurate within the limits it sets.