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YOUR WATER METER EXPLAINED
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Here is a diagram of a water meter box. A pipe
goes in your house, a pipe goes to the main line. In the box that is in the
ground in front of your house is the mechanics of the water company billing.
You can see the actual stuff by going on YouTube (see link below). A) Is the water meter. There is something inside that spins as water
enters your property. These look like they are made pretty well and I would think are pretty
reliable, but who knows. B) Is the device on
top of the meter that detects the spin of the meter below. This thing is junk!
It is made of plastic, and put into a hole in the ground where water, animals, mud
and other stuff collect. I don’t trust this thing! C) Then you have a wire that connects this to a box that sends
the reading to a passing car. The inspectors don't even open the lid and look at the
meter. Lucky for them, like I say, mud, water, bugs, you name it! There was even
a battery wrapped in kitchen plastic
wrap in the water. It was leaking,
although the battery looked new. Recent news reports said this is being replaced. If that’s true, they are doing a bad job. Those two red boxes are the bolts that connect this thing to
the pipes. I have been told they can develop a leak. If it leaks after the water goes
through the meter, you get billed. How would you know? Nobody, not even the
water company looks at this stuff! Was this even designed for Hawaii and to be
outside in the mud? And then to be on its own, unchecked for, I don’t know how long! Once
every ten years when they change the batteries! In a tropical setting, can we trust the battery will work for 10 years? BWS, give us a break! How do you know if you have a
property leak? Only by getting a high bill? That’s bad, especially
if nobody checks this stuff regularly. We believe, here is where the real problem comes in. If any thing
doesn’t work, they tell you they estimate your bill and will come out and check
the meter box. We do not believe they have enough people for that. BWS is estimating these bills for who knows how long, hoping nobody catches even a $5
dollar mistake, and then if you do, will they fix your bill? What is
going on here! If they send out 170,000 bills every month and are over charging people even a buck, that is almost 2 million a year, on top of that bogus
service charge of $7 (over 14 million a year!). And, nobody has a one dollar error. You’re not going to see or
be put on hold for 20 minutes to report that! We believe you are just getting ripped off!
We believe the practice is fraudulent and unacceptable. Is BWS resorting to strong arm tactics? It is completely unacceptable! Hopefully somebody will ask the good questions. What
is the law regarding “Estimates”? How
long can they legally go on? Why aren't
they maintaining the boxes? Are these
things designed for Hawaii and to be put in the ground with the mud, water, bugs
and what not? It makes you wonder, if they are cheating the little guy, what about big companies? What about the ones that just pay the bill when it comes out because they believe it must be ok? What about public housing and federal buildings? You cheat those guys you have trouble! Maybe it is time to get an independent investigation or an audit. Who are the managers? How did they get hired? Is this like the rail? Sure seems like it! I also understand there have been class action lawsuits having to do with computer estimates and failed utility meters in various places around the country. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UFXcB5NHDuA
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