A week before the planned opening of a day car center, the woman who owns it says she was hit with a water bill for almost $100,000.
Michelle Barnette is excited to open the second location of her day care center, The Club House Academy. But since the building has been closed for the past two months for the remodel an outstanding water bill came as more than a surprise.
"It said we used nine million gallons of water," said Barnette. "What little water we would've used would have just been for cleaning during the renovations."
Barnette immediately jumped on the phone to find out how this could happen. She was told a new bill would be issued but wasn't given an explanation.
On august 3rd Barnette received a water bill for almost $100,000 and we spoke to the Port Arthur water department and they said this is a rare mistake but it still happened after three separate people had a look at the meter and bill.
After 12 News HD called the director of finance in the water-billing department Barnette was told this was simply a case of human error.
"The first was the initial reading when I bought the property and they came out and read," said Barnette. "And a second reader was sent out and it was misread and entered in wrong and the third human error was that in billing they did not catch the previous errors so the bill was issued."
As employees continue to prepare for their opening this small business owner is relieved to have the matter corrected.
"I'm just glad it was all fixed and they apologized and hopefully I was the only one it happened to," said Barnette.
If you receive a bill from any department that doesn't seem right, don't wait; call your provider immediately to get the situation sorted out.
The director of finance with the Port Arthur Water Department says Barnette should get the corrected bill in the mail in about four days and it should cost her under $400.
