Here is a national article about water bill rates increasing all across the USA. In many jurisdictions water consumption has gone down because various economic activities have decreased (less people staying at hotels, less businesses operating, less people working, less people drinking beer, etc...). I sent the article to the legendary Water Bill Woman of Baltimore because I thought she would enjoy it. She sent me an informative email reply that I have reprinted below. Baltimore claims that it also has experienced a decrease in water consumption that has forced it to raise rates on the rest of us. The water bill woman questions this claim and provides evidence that reveals many huge increases in water consumption. So either the numbers the city provides are totally wrong (a strong possibility, I personally believe the water billing process is filled with errors and made up numbers) or water consumption has not decreased:
"In the Mayor's Transition Team Report (third paragraph of page 32), they already want to raise water rates again this year by another 9% due to the fact water consumption was down 10% in 2009.
DPW’s adopted FY2010 budget includes a 9% rate increase. The Department's
total revenue projections of $294M equates to a reduction in revenue of 4.7%. This is
partly due to the fact that water consumption is down 10% in 2009. Debt Service to fund
principal and interest on Water & Wastewater Revenue Bonds increased $10.8M or 16%
more than FY2009.
total revenue projections of $294M equates to a reduction in revenue of 4.7%. This is
partly due to the fact that water consumption is down 10% in 2009. Debt Service to fund
principal and interest on Water & Wastewater Revenue Bonds increased $10.8M or 16%
more than FY2009.
Just a few places I have that dispute that fact. I have many more:
Public Works Museum they closed months ago due to the budget cuts yet their water bill is still increasing.
| Account # | Location | Last Read Date | Previous Read Date | Last Billed Amount |
| 9393260006 | 751 EASTERN AVE | Public Works Museum | November 16, 2006 | February 6, 2007 | $ 2,489.70 |
| 9393260006 | 751 EASTERN AVE | February 6, 2007 | May 14, 2007 | $ 2,545.52 | |
| 9393260006 | 751 EASTERN AVE | May 14, 2007 | July 27, 2007 | $ 2,714.17 | |
| 9393260006 | 751 EASTERN AVE | July 27, 2007 | October 22, 2007 | $ 2,714.17 | |
| 9393260006 | 751 EASTERN AVE | October 22, 2007 | February 7, 2008 | $ 2,714.17 | |
| 9393260006 | 751 EASTERN AVE | February 7, 2008 | April 29, 2008 | $ 2,991.23 | |
| 9393260006 | 751 EASTERN AVE | April 29, 2008 | August 15, 2008 | $ 3,128.08 | |
| 9393260006 | 751 EASTERN AVE | August 15, 2008 | November 12, 2008 | $ 2,822.88 | |
| 9393260006 | 751 EASTERN AVE | November 12, 2008 | February 10, 2009 | $ 3,959.45 | |
| 9393260006 | 751 EASTERN AVE | February 10, 2009 | May 12, 2009 | $ 6,980.96 | |
| 9393260006 | 751 EASTERN AVE | May 12, 2009 | July 28, 2009 | $ 5,688.69 | |
| 9393260006 | 751 EASTERN AVE |
|
July 28, 2009 | October 19, 2009 | $ 7,748.43 |
| 9393260006 | 751 EASTERN AVE | October 19, 2009 | February 2, 2010 | $ 9,401.63 | |
War Memorial Plaza the fountain has been turned off for the winter, but the bill has increased
| Account # | Location | Last Read Date | Previous Read Date | Last Billed Amount |
| 9258316000 | WAR MEMORIAL PLAZA | WAR MEMORIAL PLAZA | May 10, 2007 | July 26, 2007 | $ 724.67 |
| 9258316000 | WAR MEMORIAL PLAZA | July 26, 2007 | October 19, 2007 | $ 724.67 | |
| 9258316000 | WAR MEMORIAL PLAZA | October 19, 2007 | January 30, 2008 | $ 724.67 | |
| 9258316000 | WAR MEMORIAL PLAZA | January 30, 2008 | April 28, 2008 | $ 724.67 | |
| 9258316000 | WAR MEMORIAL PLAZA | April 28, 2008 | July 29, 2008 | $ 743.14 | |
| 9258316000 | WAR MEMORIAL PLAZA | July 29, 2008 | October 31, 2008 | $ 753.68 | |
| 9258316000 | WAR MEMORIAL PLAZA | October 31, 2008 | February 6, 2009 | $ 753.68 | |
| 9258316000 | WAR MEMORIAL PLAZA | February 6, 2009 | May 8, 2009 | $ 753.68 | |
| 9258316000 | WAR MEMORIAL PLAZA | May 8, 2009 | July 27, 2009 | $ 796.77 | |
| 9258316000 | WAR MEMORIAL PLAZA | July 27, 2009 | October 21, 2009 | $ 5,733.19 | |
| 9258316000 | WAR MEMORIAL PLAZA | October 21, 2009 | January 28, 2010 | $ 4,490.02 | |
The Marriott Hotel over the past year their water bill has doubled has their business?
| Account # | Address | Hotel | Previous Read Date | Last Read Date | Last Billed Amount |
| 9429464002 | 700 Aliceanna St | Marriott Waterfront | November 16, 2006 | February 7, 2007 | $ 31,610.10 |
| 9429464002 | 700 Aliceanna St | November 16, 2006 | February 7, 2007 | $ 31,610.10 | |
| 9429464002 | 700 Aliceanna St | HARBOR EAST LIMITED | February 7, 2007 | May 14, 2007 | $ 42,979.42 |
| 9429464002 | 700 Aliceanna St | PARTNERSHIP | May 14, 2007 | July 27, 2007 | $ 38,995.00 |
| 9429464002 | 700 Aliceanna St | P.O. BOX 579 | July 27, 2007 | October 22, 2007 | $ 42,924.39 |
| 9429464002 | 700 Aliceanna St | LOUISVILLE, TN. 37777-0579 | October 22, 2007 | February 7, 2008 | $ 42,403.13 |
| 9429464002 | 700 Aliceanna St | February 7, 2008 | April 29, 2008 | $ 37,898.68 | |
| 9429464002 | 700 Aliceanna St | April 29, 2008 | July 30, 2008 | $ 42,281.42 | |
| 9429464002 | 700 Aliceanna St | July 30, 2008 | November 12, 2008 | $ 46,617.61 | |
| 9429464002 | 700 Aliceanna St | November 12, 2008 | February 10, 2009 | $ 40,330.42 | |
| 9429464002 | 700 Aliceanna St | February 10, 2009 | May 12, 2009 | $ 14,247.98 | |
| 9429464002 | 700 Aliceanna St | 750 units | May 12, 2009 | July 28, 2009 | $105,402.73 |
| 9429464002 | 700 Aliceanna St | July 28, 2009 | October 19, 2009 | $ 84,455.06 | |
| 9429464002 | 700 Aliceanna St | October 19, 2009 | February 2, 2010 | $ 96,515.66 | |
The city owned Hilton Hotel 401 Pratt, months ago on Facebook I questioned why their water bill was so low. Now I see their water bill has increased to an amount comparable to other hotels. The way I see it the hotel was getting virtually free water from the time they opened up until this quarter.
| Account # | Address | Mailed To | Previous Read Date | Last Read Date | Last Billed Amount |
| 9441319002 | 401 W PRATT ST | WOW | October 3, 2008 | January 9, 2009 | $ 855.65 |
| 9441319002 | 401 W PRATT ST | Baltimore City owned Hotel | January 9, 2009 | March 31, 2009 | $ 793.58 |
| 9441319002 | 401 W PRATT ST | March 31, 2009 | June 29, 2009 | $ 811.93 | |
| 9441319002 | 401 W PRATT ST | June 29, 2009 | October 19, 2009 | $ 15,459.45 | |
| 9441319002 | 401 W PRATT ST | October 19, 2009 | January 27, 2010 | $ 48,414.73 | |
How can the city justify this increase? Paul Dunbar Middle School in 2007 average water bill was about $2,900.00
This past quarter Baltimore City paid $119,415.00. WOW
| Account # | Address | School | Previous Read Date | Last Read Date |
Last Billed Amount
|
| 9290578005 | 500-40 N Caroline St | Paul Laurence Dunbar | August 8, 2006 | November 2, 2006 | $ 2,489.70 |
| 9290578005 | 500-40 N Caroline St | Middle School | November 2, 2006 | February 22, 2007 | $ 5,073.66 |
| 9290578005 | 500-40 N Caroline St | public · 6-8 · 580 students | February 22, 2007 | May 11, 2007 | $ 2,569.35 |
| 9290578005 | 500-40 N Caroline St | May 11, 2007 | July 25, 2007 | $ 2,714.17 | |
| 9290578005 | 500-40 N Caroline St | July 25, 2007 | October 29, 2007 | $ 2,714.17 | |
| 9290578005 | 500-40 N Caroline St | SENT TO | October 29, 2007 | January 22, 2008 | $ 3,272.13 |
| 9290578005 | 500-40 N Caroline St | 500 N. Caroline Street | January 22, 2008 | April 30, 2008 | $ 35,603.03 |
| 9290578005 | 500-40 N Caroline St | April 30, 2008 | August 4, 2008 | $ 54,225.97 | |
| 9290578005 | 500-40 N Caroline St | August 4, 2008 | October 30, 2008 | $ 53,108.02 | |
| 9290578005 | 500-40 N Caroline St | August 4, 2008 | October 30, 2008 | $ 53,108.02 | |
| 9290578005 | 500-40 N Caroline St | October 30, 2008 | February 11, 2009 | $ 80,001.46 | |
| 9290578005 | 500-40 N Caroline St | February 11, 2009 | May 7, 2009 | $ 73,790.35 | |
| 9290578005 | 500-40 N Caroline St | February 11, 2009 | May 7, 2009 | $ 73,790.35 | |
| 9290578005 | 500-40 N Caroline St | May 7, 2009 | July 27, 2009 | $ 70,908.00 | |
| 9290578005 | 500-40 N Caroline St | May 7, 2009 | July 27, 2009 | $ 70,908.00 | |
| 9290578005 | 500-40 N Caroline St | July 27, 2009 | October 22, 2009 | $ 86,984.16 |
| 9290578005 |
Comments
If water usage is going down then why is pricing increasing. Time to clean out City Hall. Those people don't know what their doing down there either. None of them run a business or live like the normal citizenry. They are high hats that do not make business pay their fair share of taxes, but make tax the people. Next I bet they will try to tax AIR WE BREATH if they could find a way to get away with it. The uprising is coming and it starts on 2010 and will carry over to 2012 all incumbents must go. It is clean house time. The first group to be disbanded will be the Mayor Transition Team another group where none of the members live in the city so they don't know the people and the lifestyle.
My water bill has gone threw the roof recently.
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