MOORESVILLE, N.C. — Neighbors in Mooresville are searching for answers after they told WCNC Charlotte their water usage doesn't reflect what is being calculated.
One neighbors said for one month, the bill was more than $1,000. People said it's more than just water going down the drain. WCNC Charlotte obtained water bills sent by Carolina Water Service to homeowners in Mooresville. Don Calhoun said his and his neighbors' money is going down the drain and things are not adding up.
"As you can see our usage is about a 10th of what they billed us this month," Calhoun said.
In August of 2018, Calhoun's most expensive summer bill at the time was $321.95. His most recent July bill came in at $771.04.
In April, Carolina Water Service, the company that provides water service to this area, legally implemented a 41.6% rate increase for the area. The original rate was $8.27 per 1,000 gallons. The new rate is up to $11.71 per $1,000 gallons.
WCNC Charlotte is always asking "where's the money?" If you need help, reach out to WCNC Charlotte by emailing money@wcnc.com.
Calhoun and his neighbors were notified of this increase and said a price increase was expected.
"It was the amount of usage that is really is the problem," Calhoun said. "They said we used 63,000 gallons in one month, we weren’t even here for a week."
People have taken their concerns to the Carolina Water Service and said the amount the meter showed isn't accurate.
"They’ve just asked us to check your meters, check your appliances, make sure you don’t have a leak," Calhoun said.
Deborah Clark with Carolina Water Service said it's important to inspect anything that could cause a leak.
"If you do have an irrigation system, a swimming pool, if you are using water hoses, inside your homes, it’s beneficial to inspect that to make sure there are no sneaky leaks," Clark said.
ALSO ON WCNC CHARLOTTE: These 4 chores can make your house more valuable
Ruth Ann Lanka said she expected an increase on her bill from the summer month usage, but not to this extent.
"For it to go from $300 to $684 in a month, we were not expecting that," Lanka said.
If you believe your bill is not accurate, you are encouraged to contact a third party assessor to check for leaks throughout the property. You can then take those to the water company to investigate further.
WCNC Charlotte will continue to follow this story. For the latest breaking news, weather and traffic alerts, download the WCNC Charlotte mobile app.
Contact Austin Walker at awalker@wcnc.com and follow him on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.