Some Jefferson Parish residents are complaining about “abnormally high” water bills. Council member Jennifer Van Vrancken says these issues are being taken seriously and there could be several factors influencing the spike some people are seeing.
“Rate increases are in effect because we are trying to replace the aging infrastructure in the ground. We need to replace certain pipes that have aged out. So, five years ago, we did adopt a schedule of rate increases for water and sewer. It’s a little bit each year meant to try to spread those costs out over time. So, bills will go up to try to prevent emergency breaks due to old pipes being underground,” noted Van Vrancken.
However, those rate increases are slow and gradual, so any marked spike in your sewer & water bill is due to other factors according to Van Vrancken. “We have seen people questioning the usage and that’s a separate issue that we need to look into. That ties into concerns about the new smart communication device that has been put on top of the existing meters. That’s what people are concerned about … is that digital communicator giving the right numbers? That’s a valid question that we need to be able to answer,” emphasized the Jefferson Parish council member.
“Every single household in Jefferson Parish is going to get a new meter. It’s going to be the same old-school mechanical meter, because we know they’re reliable. So, you get a new meter in the ground and then what looks like a hockey puck that goes on top of the cover of the meter. That’s the digital communicator. So, like anything digital, we need to make sure that everything is accurate and there aren’t any glitches. That’s what we’re committed to doing,” Van Vrancken went on to explain.
One point of emphasis that Van Vrancken wants to pass on to all Jefferson Parish residents seeing higher bills is the need to inspect for any persistent leaks in the home. She says the recommendation comes from personal experience, as she discovered a leaky toilet to be the culprit for rising water bills at her own house.
“When people say they used to use 1,000 gallons and now the bill is saying you’re using 2,000 gallons or so, that usually means you’ve got a leak and need to get a plumber out. It could be something as simple as a leaky toilet, which is common. In my case, we had a leaky toilet and a break in our irrigation system. Once those two things got fixed, my bill went right back to normal,” the council member shared.
Van Vrancken also had a handy tip for those worried about a potential leak in their toilet: “Take the lid off the back of the tank and pour food coloring or soda or anything colored into the back of the tank. Let that sit for fifteen minutes. Then, go look into the bowl of the toilet. If you’ve got any color in the bowl, you’ve got a leak.”
The Jefferson Parish council member did not mention any future plans to get into the plumbing business herself.
Questions linger over digital water meters and more
Questions linger over digital water meters and more
