Rockland County church says hidden water pipe leak is to blame for $8K bill
HAVERSTRAW, Rockland County (WABC) -- A Rockland County church's monthly water bill suddenly jumped thousands of dollars and officials say a hidden water main break is to blame.
The break happened at the Calvary Baptist Church and water provider Veolia said it wasn't responsible for repairs since it happened on the church's property.
Now service to the house of worship has been cut as it deals with a water bill of over $8,000.
In October and November, bills from Veolia showed a dramatic spike in water usage - a huge departure from the average water bill of $40 per month.
Wilbur Aldridge is the chairman of the board of trustees and said it was a shock.
"To send an $8,000 bill and then to tell me when I call, that's not my problem, that's yours because of the location of the break," Aldridge said.
Veolia says the leak was in the customer's service line, it was not a main break.
Problems with pipes connecting to a water main are indeed the customer's responsibility, but the building is in use only on Sundays and Aldridge said there were no signs of a leak.
"Veolia should be able to see if there's an extravagant amount of water being used, then they should be able to contact the people in charge," Aldridge said.
It cost the church $10,000 to repair the damage.
Veolia says its customer service team is working to apply a bill credit which will significantly reduce their bill. And the water provider says it will provide an extended payment plan - but Aldridge says that's not good enough.
"Business is business, but you got to have a heart in implementing the business," Aldridge said. "To tell me, 'that's not our problem,' that's the most insensitive thing anyone could possibly say."
----------
* Download the abc7NY app for breaking news alerts
Submit a tip or story idea to Eyewitness News
Have a breaking news tip or an idea for a story we should cover? Send it to Eyewitness News using the form below. If attaching a video or photo, terms of use apply.
