METAIRIE, La. (WVUE) – Metairie resident Keith Juneau wants answers after he says his electric bill was 10 times higher than usual.

Juneau is not alone. For months, many Jefferson Parish residents have been sharing with Fox 8 the strain that high electric bills have placed on their budgets. Many question the accuracy of meter readings.

“One day I’m on my couch opening my mail and there’s a $4,000 water bill. And it says I used 400,000 gallons of water,” said Ronnie Dalleo of Metairie.

“If you’re paying more for your water bill than your electric bill in south Louisiana, something’s not right,” said Jamie Zwiener, also of Metairie.

“I have to wait on the line because there are 40-45 people calling from me,” said Sharon Veller in Marrero.

When Juneau opened the bill, he thought it was a printing error. His bill said he used 83,000 gallons of water and owed more than $1,000. Juneau typically uses between 5,000-8,000 gallons of water per billing cycle.

“Is my toilet leaking? Did my water pipe burst? Do I have a swimming pool? The answer to all of these is ‘No,'” Juneau said.

Juneau said she reached out to three council members and the water department’s customer service line but was unable to find any relief.

“Even the people in the legislature said I wasn’t the only one, ‘We know this,'” Juneau said. “If you know this, do something about it. I don’t know what else to do.”

“If a customer doesn’t think they have a leak or they can’t find a leak and don’t know what it is, all I know is the water has been used and we have to follow the regulations and follow the rules and charge customers for what they use,” said Sidney Bazley, director of the Jefferson Parish Water Department. “We must demand it.”

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In 2022, Jefferson Parish implemented the first of 20 annual rate increases to address aging infrastructure. Bimonthly bills reflect higher water prices and an increase in garbage collection.

“When the affirmation is too high or too low, we’ll go there and verify with another person and take a photo to confirm that’s what the readings are,” Bazley said.

The district argues that it’s best to call the water department if you think your usage is incorrect. Arrangements or payment plans can be made depending on the situation.

According to Juneau, the district reduced her bill after she purchased a part for her toilet, sent a receipt and signed a statement. Juneau once again said there was no leak and did not make any repairs.

Juneau’s latest electric bill shows 4,000 gallons used in the last 60 days, compared to 83,000 gallons in the last billing cycle.

The congregation said it has hired more workers to answer calls and wait times on the customer service line have decreased.

If you have a consumer complaint you would like us to investigate, call the Fox 8 Defenders, staffed by volunteers from the National Council of Jewish Women, at 1-877-670-6397. Or click here to fill out the form online complaint formThis is the easiest way to reach us.

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