Mandeville residents angry at water bills as high as $2,200

NEW ORLEANS (WVUE) - Tensions rise between Mandeville residents and public officials over increased water bills.

Residents have said their recorded water usage in Mandeville is incorrect after the water system increased rates earlier this year. Mayor Clay Madden said most homeowners saw an increase of $20 to $25, but Pam Authement said she took home a $2,200 bill last cycle and that the usage listed on her bill increased significantly.

“It said on our last water bill that we used 274,000 gallons of water, and we are unsure how that’s billed,” she said. “Our previous month was 99,000 gallons and our bill was $181.”

Others clocked bills of more than $800, $500 and $300 with water usage they also say has to be wrong.

“However you want to calculate it, the math still doesn’t math,” one resident said at a Monday night community meeting in Mandeville. “Again, your team was very responsive, and I appreciate that, but it still doesn’t make sense that I used 120,000 gallons. By the way, I was gone for half of the time period out of town.”

The increase was a flat rate up to 3,000 gallons. After that, the rate increases based on usage. Sewerage rates are separate and based on water meter readings because the system is not set up to track sewerage use. With the new higher rates, residents say that’s not fair.

“You’re saying that we water our yards so we’re peeing that much, too,” another resident quipped at the meeting.

Mayor Clay Madden said he’s dedicated to educating the public on the bill increases.

“I suggested the council let’s hold a town hall and let me bring staff to people, so we’re here tonight for you,” he said Monday.

Officials added the water system is high quality, pointing out that the city won an award for best testing water. They say the increase was necessary, calling the water system chronically underfunded. They encouraged anyone with issues to contact Mandeville Public Works. Residents have said it’s less a matter of increases and more so allegedly inaccurate readings.

“Our irrigation system ran basically the same the month before as it did this month that they billed us for, so we’re trying to see where did the difference in all of that come from? What is the disparity in the cost?” Authement said.

City officials have said they would waive late fees on bills through the end of the year.