Tampa couple may go to court over high water bill

A Cory Lake Isles couple said they may take the Tampa Water Department to court over their high water bill.

Jeramy Reimer and Angela Mason-Reimer received a $434 bill for December water usage - about two and a half times their normal payment.

The Reimers said they watered their lawn less, didn't fill their pool and were gone for a few days welcoming a new baby girl into the family.

"If anything, December should have been lower,'' said Mason-Reimer, who is a Tampa attorney.

A controversy over high water bills began in January as hundreds of Tampa residents complained to the city about abnormally high water bills.

The Tampa City Council has eliminated the top two tiers of the city's water rates and approved monthly meter readings. Mayor Pam Iorio created an internal task force to investigate the issue.

The water department has reduced high bills for residents who have found leaks on their property, such as broken sprinkler heads or leaky toilets.

The problem for the Reimers: the water department found no leaks.

"[The water department worker] told me that if we find no leaks, it's our position the water went through the meter and that you used it, the customer used it, and therefore you are responsible for the bill,'' Reimer said.

"At this point, I don't see us paying that bill,'' Mason-Reimer said. "We've paid what we think we owe but I know we didn't use the water.''

Mason-Reimer said if the water department won't work with them, then they will take the issue to court.

The couple said they are frustrated with the city's response, adding that the water department wants its customers to be deceitful to get a reduced bill.

"First and foremost they've denied any culpability in all of this. They've taken the stance that we have not made any mistakes,'' Reimer said.

The Reimers are among many Tampa water users with high bills who haven't found or fixed leaks, but whose bills have returned to normal.

"The worst possible case, it would seem, is like us, if you have no leak,'' Reimer said.

No leak, no adjusted bill, according to the water department.

"So what you're telling residents to basically do is to go outside and kick a sprinkler head or take a toilet flapper and bend it a little bit to ensure you have a leak because that's the only way you'll be eligible for a credit,'' Reimer said. "You have financial incentive to be deceitful.''

The water department issued a statement on Monday regarding the Reimer's bill:

"In the situation where there is no indication of an error by the Water Department or a leak on the customer's side of the meter, the assumption is that the meter accurately recorded the amount of water that was used and the customer is expected to pay for that amount.''

The Reimers said they won't claim some mystery leak to reduce their bill.

"If we have to get experts involved and look at the legal issues surrounding this, I think it's one the residents will ultimately prevail on,'' Mason-Reimer said.

(813) 259-7600