During the Lacey City Council meeting on Tuesday, March 5, two residents expressed their frustration over escalating water bills and ongoing pest problems stemming from nearby construction.
Evelyn Cheney, a Lacey resident for the past five years, addressed the council, saying that she had noticed a steady increase in her water bill over the last two years.
Cheney added that despite her efforts to monitor usage, her bill has spiked to $127, with only $8.48 attributed to actual water consumption.
“The math is not ‘mathing,’” said Cheney.
Cheney added that she finds it perplexing that charges for sewer, LOTT treatment, and other fees have significantly increased, especially considering her consistent usage.
Similarly, Althea Sims, residing in Lacey for 18 years, echoed Cheney's sentiments, saying she is puzzled by the excessive fees reflected in her water bill.
Sims said that while her water usage remains low, the bill has reached $127, which seems disproportionate.
Additionally, Sims aired out concerns about the ongoing construction near her residence that has led to pest control issues, with pest animals being pushed to her home from the construction. This has been causing inconvenience for her and her family for the past two years.
“I paid a lot of money for an outdoor TV theater for [my grandchildren]. They can't enjoy it,” said Sims. “And nobody has gotten back to me. I've called and called and called.”
Lacey Mayor Andy Ryder said the city would get in touch with the residents directly to address both of their concerns.
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Fedupwithit
My water bill has gone up to almost double what it was last year and our usage is also the same. It makes no sense. We live near the Winco in Olympia so I’m curious just how big of an issue this truly is.
Thursday, March 7 Report this
dpowell1953
Only a small part of the "Water Bill" is based on water consumption. Look at your statement, the majority of it is sewer, LOTT, stormwater, etc. These are fixed rates, everyone pays the same for them, regardless of how much water you use. I live along, the family of 4 next door pay a little more for water, but all the other fees are the same.
Friday, March 8 Report this
DeninOly
Lacey Water Dept. billing practices should be investigated by the State Attorney. If you have a leak, which they can detect, they will send someone out to check on it, but they will not tell you and let the bill run up. This actually happened to us. I wonder how much water is wasted because they make money on letting leaks continue rather than tell the customer.
Friday, March 8 Report this