Warning & Rant: Enmax Water/Sewer Charges

[Peanut]

Hi CP,

We recently moved within Calgary, and upon arriving at our new house noticed that our Enmax bills were significantly higher than they were at our old house. I took a look at the bills and noticed the big difference was sewer/water charges. This didn't really make a lot of sense to us because the house we lived in before was built in 1918, and let's just say we had our share of leaky taps and toilets there, so we were expecting our water bills to go down in this new place if anything.

I call Enmax today and the ever-so-helpful customer service rep informs me that we're being billed on "flat rate" for water and sewer. Which means they amalgamate the community water and sewer usage and pro-rate it back to every household. He said "the flat rate does usually result in higher charges then if you had a water meter installed. You should call the City to get a water meter installed. But I think they charge you for that". Okay. So I go to my basement, and lo and behold we already DO have a water meter installed, yet are still on this "flate rate" system. Another call to another crabby service rep and they'll switch us over to the meter rate within 30 days. He did not mention any compensation for the inflated charges we've already incurred, so I asked and he said he'd "look into it".

From what I can tell (based on our water/sewer usage at our previous house, which was metered), Enmax has been overcharging for water & sewer by about $60/month. I called the City to see when the meter had been installed, and they told me 2007... but couldn't tell me the what month it was installed. So I figure that's about 2 years of over-charging $60/month = $720/year = $1440 total.

Predictably, Enmax is blaming the City and the City is blaming Enmax and I'm basically getting nowhere with my complaint.

I've only been here for 3 months, so the $180 they've overcharged me personally is an issue but it's not "huge". I'm actually more outraged on behalf of the very elderly couple that lived here before we did, and were basically robbed of $1200+ by Enmax/the City.

I'm going to warn my neighbours in case this is happening to them too, but does anyone have any advice on how to get 1) my money back, and 2) If I should bother fighting this on the previous owner's behalf? The elderly couple has since become an elderly widow and I just feel badly they were being taken advantage of. Is this a Tony Tighe "consumer report" worthy complaint??

Also, check your bills to see if you're on flat rate - for $700+/year savings it might be worth getting a meter installed if you don't already have one.

/rant.

[4X4]

Flush twice to get even with The Man.

j/k


That sucks.

[ricosuave]

PS Enmax is part of the City

[Ice]

Is there any sort of Public Utilities Commission up there? When we can't get anywhere with a city or utility here, you file a claim with the CPUC and they'll send you the check and get the money back from the utility or municipality if you were billed unfairly.

[RedHot25]

Hi Peanut.

I say to try and get your money back, and to undertake some advocacy on behalf of the former elderly owner(s). I think it is well worth it and quite admirable that you do that for them (as well as your money). I think if you don't get very far with things on your own, that an eventual taking it to Tony Tighe (is he still around? I haven't been in Calgary for years) would be ok in my books.

[Peanut]

Originally Posted by ricosuave

PS Enmax is part of the City

Mmm... yeah, kinda I guess. But they are distinct entities, and the City definitely washes it's hands of "Enmax" problems, and Enmax is quick to direct you back to "The City" when they think it's not their problem.

What I've experienced so far is like taking a complaint to the Roads department and then they shunt you off to Parks & Rec, who then tries to send you back to Roads with your original problem. All part of the City but nobody really wants to help or take responsibility. Awesome.

[Peanut]

Originally Posted by 4X4

Flush twice to get even with The Man.

j/k


That sucks.

But now they're billing me via the meter, so I have to pay per flush. Shoulda flushed twice last week. Damnit!!

Originally Posted by Ice

Is there any sort of Public Utilities Commission up there? When we can't get anywhere with a city or utility here, you file a claim with the CPUC and they'll send you the check and get the money back from the utility or municipality if you were billed unfairly.

Hmm... I don't know actually but that is a good suggestion! I will look into that for sure.

[ken0042]

I'm confused- are you on a meter or do they base your usage on the community average? Or is the meter brand new?

I ask because I know sometimes if they can't get a reading they will do an estimate, and then the real usage shows up later on.

Funny story- when I moved into an apartment in Grande Prairie they sent me a 1st month bill for something like 700 kw/h. (Which is very high for an apartment; apparently the last guy was running an office out of there.) I called to complain, they told me "maybe you used that much"- and that to wait for the next bill. Next bill came with negative usage; meaning what they billed me for 1 month was more than I used in 2 months. They then accused me of tampering with the meter.

Then the next month's bill came in at 650 kw/h, and the following showed negative usage again. Lots of fun with that utility company.

[Peanut]

Originally Posted by ken0042

I'm confused- are you on a meter or do they base your usage on the community average? Or is the meter brand new?

They were basing usage on community average, but a meter has been installed at this house for 2+ years. Enmax blames "a lazy city worker" (direct quote) for not sending them the meter installation info. The 311 lady didn't resort to name calling, but she did just blame Enmax and says it's between the meter installation contractor & Enmax to update the info.

Meanwhile, someone's been overpaying by $60-ish per month the whole time this meter was in place. Just rubs me the wrong way that they can overcharge like this with no repurcussions.

[BlackArcher101]

Have you recieved a new bill with the actual usage yet?

[Meelapo]

Enmax charges for water and sewer? I have yet to see that stuff on my bill (moved to Calgary 1.5 years ago).