JEFFERSON PARISH, La. — Jefferson Parish water bills have increased by just under $30 dollars for most customers, every two months due to a sewer and water rate hike and higher garbage fee.
“So, you’re going to see an increase of about $25 to $27 dollars,” JP Councilmember Jennifer Van Vrancken said. “That’s what you should see if you’re an average user, a minimum user.”
Harvey resident LaTonya Osborne reached out to WWL Louisiana to complain about her bill.
It has more than doubled from about $120 to about $270 in a matter of months.
She says some of her neighbors are experiencing similar increases.
At one point, they were saying toilet leaks,” Osborne said. “You can’t tell me that everybody in this area is having toilet leak issues, up to 25,000, 30,000 gallons of water. We all are not having toilet leaks on the Westbank.”
Van Vrancken says the parish has been flooded with calls from customers reporting problems with their water bills.
“If you have a bill that’s really gone up exponentially, like mine has, mine went up several hundred dollars,” Van Vrancken said. “I must have a leak somewhere.”
Making matters worse, customers like Osborne complain about long wait times when they call the water department to discuss their bill.
“I couldn’t get anyone on the phone,” Osborne said. “I sat on the line. The phone would pick and then hang up. I called back. I couldn’t get back on with anyone.”
Van Vrancken admits there is a shortage of call takers.
“We are trying to get a little bit higher pay rate for those positions, so that they’ll be more attractive and we do have six people I understand are interested and we hope to bring on quickly to be permanent employees.”
The parish is also considering hiring temporary workers until the permanent call takers are on board.
Van Vrancken also said the heat last summer, followed by rain, then a freeze may have caused some pipes to shift underground. That may be to blame for leaks in the system both on private and public property.
The parish administration is expected to address water billing issues at the JP Council meeting next Wednesday on the Westbank.
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