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9. Request to Review Utility Bill, Doug Roper 2751 Sandpiper TrailCITY OF � 1 1 1 MEMORANDUM CHANHASSEN 690 COULTER DRIVE • P.O. BOX 147 • CHANHASSEN, MINNESOTA 55317 (612) 937 -1900 • FAX (612) 937 -5739 1 TO: Mayor and City Council 1 FROM: Don Ashworth, City Manager DATE: September 19, 1996 1 SUBJ.- Request for Utility Bill Relief, Doug Roper, 2751 Sandpiper Trail 1 This item was tabled at the last council meeting so as to allow staff to respond to various questions regarding whether the remote meter could somehow record faster than the water meter itself. My conclusion is "no" based on the following points which were presented to me by Jerry 1 Boucher and the firm which supplies the remote meters: - Water Pro (Rockwell Meter): 1 • Mike from Water Pro reports that there never has been a recorded case where a remote meter has run fast for any reason; and 1 • The meter operates on low voltage. Any form of a lightning strike or touching of typical wiring within the household would "fry" the remote meter; and ' • The current that runs the remote meter comes from the water meter itself. As water ' moves through the meter, a turbine turns at the rate equal to the amount of water being consumed. The only possible error which may occur is when the paddles inside of the meter�which turn the turbine�begin to wear. When that happens, the paddles 1 will run slower as more water is running through than is actually being recorded either on the meter itself or at the remote location. 1 - Utility Superintendent, Jerry Boucher: • Jerry has never seen an instance where the remote ran faster than the meter inside- If 1 a staple or other form of remodeling damages the wire, the meter stops. In fact, it is because it is no longer picking up readings that we know that something has damaged the wire; and 1 Mayor and City Council September 19, 1996 Page 2 • Low voltage wiring will typically go up and across the rafters (doorbell) vs. meter reading wire which is in the basement; and Meter reading wire is composed of two plastic shielded wires encased within a separate plastic sheathe. Again, if this wire is damaged, the remote meter stops reading; and To test theory vs. actual, Jerry Boucher did connect an outside meter to a normal electrical line. The result was exactly what had been stated by Mike, i.e. it "fried" the remote meter. In my own mind, the comments made by Mr. Boucher and the representative of Water Pro are more than convincing. However, let's assume that you have the slightest doubt as to whether a "surge" or "trickle" could be the culprit. If so, how do you then explain that for 15 -20 years this never occurred? If it was a surge which created the high readings during the previous quarter, how do you explain a second surge during the 5 -6 days following that quarter --a minor lightening strike? Finally, why or how did this "trickle" power source happen to stop during the 2 -3 days between the time that the meter was rechecked and the time it was removed? The meter was read again 30 days after the new meter was put in and there was no "trickle" energy being sent to the remote meter during that time frame. I am attaching an article and flyer that shows that a relatively minor leak can produce significant volumes of water being used. Sometimes it cannot be heard as described by Councilman Senn and attested to by the lady from the December 1995 time frame whose water softener was stuck in the open position (the $900 bill). It seems far more logical to me that Mr. Roper could very easily have turned various valves on and off just to see if there was a leak, and without knowing it, actually solved the problem. As it deals with the questions regarding notifications, I have had Chris, Danielle and Jerry Boucher read each of the memorandums that I have prepared for the city council. When I re- asked Chris as to the notification, Chris was quick to respond that her basic existence depends upon watching for excess reads and to notify as soon as possible. Specifically, she didn't know that when she first started with the city, but quickly learned a painful lesson, i.e. if you simply bill out a high usage bill, expect to receive a phone call questioning your competence, failures of your equipment and the city, etc. [Note: This comment has nothing to do with Mr. Roper. Both Mr. & Mrs. Roper have been very cordial, patient, and respectful of city employees —a comment which typically isn't true when a $400 bill has been sent out.] By contrast, an early catch by Chris or Danielle will typically lead to a homeowner calling back in and thanking them for alerting them to the problem. Although the lady having the $900 water bill initially stood fast with this being a city problem, she did later call to apologize for some of the things she may have implied during the "discovery" period. Mayor and City Council September 19, 1996 ' Page 3 RECOMMENDATION Approval of removing all penalties and late charges as well as allowing the Ropers to pay the ' $395.95 in three payments over the course of the next 90 days is recommended. Although we all may wish to see the Ropers receive further relief, such simply would not be fair to all of our other ' customers. g:1¢igrUoperl.e w Fixit Water meter m Could our water bill be high_ because the meter is defec- tive or broken? How can we get It checked? 1- "• t, , ,:... Residential wter a ere ' constructed to preclude the possibility of reading fast, jump- ing ahead or otherwise Inflating actual water use. The water me- ter is a positive displacement de- vice that measures specific vol- umes of water over a wide range of water flow rates. r• Water meters are tested by Min- neapolis Water Works before. they're shipped from the shop. An acceptable meter measures flow at 95 to 105 percent of actual -water volume. Most residential - meters do not exceed 100 per- cent; those that do are rarely over 102 percent. 1'vf= , Minneapolis Water Works tests thousands of water meters in ,. homes each year, for a variety of reasons. Meters 20 or more years old are often under- regis- tering water usage. The degree of ore likely�to read y " , . . under - registration is not great, but it is a source of lost revenue,,' so meters are replaced every 20 ''i years. last year, tall ed as 6,569 meters, ;„ were ins part of our pry ventive maintenance program or4' because the meter was damaged., A resident may request a motor test. However, there is a $15 `�A, charge for most residential meter tests. The fee Includes a new meter,-the new one tested and the results mailed to the custom- er. Minneapolis Water Works Fixit lwmk� 1 . Only a drip would let m ®ney run down the drain How many gallons of water are lost each day because of leaking faucets? How costly is this? How many homes in Min- neapolis have leaking faucets? A Faucet leaks, which most often can be repaired by replacing an inexpensive faucet washer, have been shown to waste water at these rates: 0 a slow drip wastes 15 gallons per day. J 1/32-inch stream wastes 184 gallons per day 1/16-inch stream wastes 738 gallons per day 3 1 /e -inch stream wastes 2,952 gallons per day Because the typical Minneapolis household uses an annualized average of 194 gallons of water per day, faucet leaks can add greatly to a quarterly (90 -day) bill. Minneapolis water meters meas- ure and record water used in cubic feet. One cubic foot of wa- ter equals 7 gallons. We bill in units of 100 cubic feet. Each unit, then, equals 750 gallons, for which the charge is 85 cents. Converting the water wasted by faucet leaks shows that a slow drip would cost 85 cents in 50 days; a 1/32-inch stream would cost 85 cents in four days; a 1/16-inch stream would cost 85 cents in one day; and a 1 /4-inch stream would cost $3.40 in one low than high 4 If a faucet leak of 1 /a inch was allowed to continue for a full 90- day quarter, the added cost for the water wasted would be $306. As a customer service, whenev- er we find meter readings that show a higher than normal water use, we send our customers a notice of an impending high bill, and we include an informational guide to help them check for leaks. Faucet leaks probably pale in comparison to the potential for waste caused by faulty toilet tank mechanisms. Toilet tank leaks can range from pennies per day to dollars per day. A worst -case toilet tank leak can waste eight units (hundreds of cubic feet) or 6,000 gallons per day. The cost would be $6.80 per day in a worst -case leak. Sewage costs will be higher also, because they are based on water usage. Although we don't keep statis- tics, we estimate that approxi- mately 4,000 households experi- ence a larger than normal water consumption in one quarter each year. Stephen J. Skokan, manager, Public Works Billing Office, Minneapolis Water Works, 227 City Half, Minneapolis 55415 Send your questions to Fixit in care of the Star Tribune, 425 Portland Av. S., Minneapolis 55488. Sorry, Fixit cannot sup- ply individual replies. Fixit av- Don't let your toilet waste water 1 1. A silent leak in your toilet can waste several thousand gallons of high 1 quality water each year and place unnecessary demands on your sewer system or septic tank. 1 Usually you cannot hear the leak because it runs slowly, out of the tank. i A leaking toilet is a sad toilet! 1 2. How can you discover if your toilet leaks? 1 Simple. Follow these easy steps and you'll know. A.) Lift off the lid from your toilet seat. 1 B.) Place three or four drops of ordinary food coloring into the toilet tank (note - do not use dye - it could stain). 1 C.) Do not flush or otherwise disturb the toilet for one or two hours or longer. 1 D.) At the end of the waiting period, observe the toilet bowl. If the color you placed into the tank shows up in the bowl, you have' a leak. 1 3. How do you fix a leaking toilet? 1 Most frequently, leaks in toilets are caused by a defective flush valve. A flush valve is a flap or ball plunger device that is supposed to act 1 as a stopper in the bottom of your toilet tank. After several years and many flushings, the stopper can be knocked out of shape or simply 1 worn out. To make your toilet happy and to save water, see your hardware 1 dealeror plumber and obtain an inexpensive and easy to install replacement valve or complete replacement kit. 1 USE WATER WISELY! ! 1 Courtesy of your local water and wastewater system, 1 and the Minnesota Rural Water Association: MRWA Todav Page 19 City Council Meeting - September 9, 1996 and he missed it because it wasn't showing up in the bowl, like most runnings would. It was an internal leak in the tank in back ... that constituted 75,000 additional gallons. Councilman Berquist: But the statement here is that the mere change, something changed within the structure of the measuring device itself and the problem went away. Councilman Senn: No. That's not what I'm hearing. What I'm hearing is that this problem stopped. That doesn't mean that it was within the metering mechanism. The meter checked out and they came out to remove it and put a new one in. That, to me the problem corrected itself somewhere in the plumbing system just as well as the meter correcting itself. I can't, I mean I've had some faulty meters before Steve in the buildings and the City's generally been, you wherever... faulty meter and that's the end of it but I thought that was fairly full proof in terms of checking those out. But again it'd be interesting the answers to your questions because I've always thought that was kind of full proof. I mean they know if it is or it isn't. Councilman Berquist: I'll withdraw the motion. Let's act on it and then bearing, based on what Don finds, reconsider? Councilwoman Dockendorf: I'd just as soon table it. Councilman Senn: That's fine if we're tabling it. I have no problem with that. Let's hear the answers... Councilwoman Dockendorf: I'll second your motion. Mayor Chmiel: Okay. A motion's been made and seconded to table. Any other discussion? Councilman Berquist moved, Councilwoman Dockendorf seconded to table the request to review the utility bill for Doug Roper, 2751 Sandpiper Lane. All voted in favor and the motion carried. APPROVAL OF PARK MASTER PLAN. ROUNDHOUSE PARK (NORTHWEST INTERSECTION OF MINNEWASHTA PARKWAY AND KINGS ROAD). Public Present: Name Tab Erickson Dorthy Downing Greg Dattilo Joe Epping7508 West 77`" Street Craig Anderson Frank Scott Larry & Nancy Wenzel Sue Morgan Janet Carlson Linda Scott Dave Headla Peter Moe 7161 Minnewashta Parkway Jan Lash Address 3720 So. Cedar 7200 Juniper Road 7201 Juniper Avenue 7507 West 77 Street 2730 Sandpiper Trail 6900 Minnewashta Parkway 4031 Kings Road 4141 Kings Road 4031 Kings Road 6870 Minnewashta Parkway Park and Recreation Commission Chairman Todd Hoffman: Good evening Mr. Mayor, members of the City Council. The fast thing this evening, I'd like to go through some introductions. As a part of that, I'd like to acknowledge the work of the Minnewashta Parkway, Kings Road focus group that's worked on this proposal for about the last 6 to 8 months. They've been instrumental in bringing this, the proposal which you have before you this evening for Roundhouse Park to the forefront... As do the many residents in the area who have taken their time to participate in public meetings at the Park and Recreation 14 ' City Council Meeting - September 9, 1996 ' financing, then we would do the next portion of the package, which is the restaurant and the whole deal. We can talk a little bit more about that later on, but we believe that we are, within the next 30 days, should have a commitment letter of some type from one or two types of lenders that we would have been in contact with. So we have processed of having to do ... which is reasonable for them to request. And the appraisal did come in at around a million two thirty so we're well within the range of what we are requesting so I think we're making fine progress on it. I'd be ' happy to answer any questions... later on just talking about the project. Mayor Chmiel: Okay. Anybody have any questions? Okay, good. So that leaves me now with where we're at. With the discussions that we've had at the previous meetings and I think that's the reason why you're here this ' evening. To give us that update so we can move on. So with this we have a motion to table to the next available meeting which is November what Don? Don Ashworth: I'm assuming the Council wants to look to what? The second meeting in October? Mayor Chmiel: Yeah. Don Ashworth: I don't have a calendar in front of me but the regular second meeting in October. Mayor Chmiel: It'd be the 21" of October. Okay. Okay, there's a motion on the floor to table. Is there a second? ' Councilwoman Dockendorf: Yes. Councilman Berquist moved, Councilwoman Dockendorf seconded to table review of the liquor license for ' Chanhassen Bowl until the second regular City Council meeting in October, October 21, 1996. All voted in favor and the motion carried. ' REOUEST TO REVIEW UTILITY BILL, DOUG ROPER 2751 SANDPIPER LANE., Don Ashworth: You do have correspondence that we had received from Douglas and Kathleen Roper and they noted that for many years they had used approximately 20,000 gallons per quarter and that at the quarter ending May 31 ", usage was 297,000. Almost ten times greater than their normal usage. We had several readings on this meter. You have a copy of the staff report. So do the Roper's. I feel very bad that this had to occur but the fact is, the water was used. For the two or three people that face this type of dilemma each year, I find that providing some type of relief ' for the Ropers just wouldn't be that fair to the rest of the community and for other people who have gone through similar type of situations. We have in the past for others, we waived all the penalties and late charges as they've been associated with missing the initial payment period. We've also allowed the total bill to be paid in three payments over the course of like a 90 day period of time. And we're recommending that same policy be followed in ' the case of Mr. And Mrs. Roper. Mayor Chmiel: Okay. Thank you. Does anyone have any questions of Don before I call on the Roper's? ' Councilwoman Dockendori: Yeah, I had a question Don. I'm trying to figure out the sequence of events. Was it just a short ... time that the reading was taken? ' Don Ashworth: No, it was a three month period of time. When Chris did the billing for the end of that quarter, she noticed the high usage by the Roper's so she contacted the utility department and dispatched an individual that went up there. That was my initial thought. Well maybe they just misread the last numbers. Maybe it was a matter of ' 500,000 or 600,000 and they read it as 800,000. That wasn't the case. The previous usage was like 1.2 million. The current usage was like 1.4 million. So they called Chris back. They verified that the reading was correct and further noted that the usage for the 5 -6 days from the end of the quarter readings to then was also extremely high. Chris did two things at that point. She again contacted the Utility Department to asked them to remove that meter and check it. ' She also contacted the Roper's to tell them that there was excessive usage on that meter for both the previous quarter as well as for the past 5 -6 days. By the time that we dispatched the second visit to the home to actually remove the meter, the usage had literally stopped. Although usage had returned to normal, we removed the meter. It was put on 11 City Council Meeting - September 9, 1996 the test bench. It was checked at high volume and low volume. It was 4% off at low volume and right on at high volume. Councilwoman Dockendorf: So prior to notifying Roper's, it had gotten back to normal? Don Ashworth: No. Somewhere in that 2 -3 day period, after we had notified them but before the meter was changed out, the usage went back to normal. Mayor Chmiel: Okay. Michael? Mark, any questions? Okay, is Mr. Roper here? Would you like to come forward. Please state your name and your address and what we have here. Doug Roper. I'm Doug Roper from 2751 Sandpiper Lane. I've been a resident of Chanhassen for 18 years. At my present residence for 10 years. I've never had anything like this happen before and I am told by the City that meters don't lie. I wonder ... with the truth. And they are considering ... I understand so I understand your position. Just a little clarification. It was I who asked Chris to send somebody out to check the meter. And ... come out a second time to check the meter because they hadn't taken any initiative to do so, so it was my request that they do so. It was my request that they change the meter, which they did and thus the meter that we have. Which they informed me was working properly. I've got no proof. All I can appeal to is common sense and reality. They told us there was no leakage when they came out to check, and I asked them to do that. And we checked the house and could find nothing going on. My wife said to me ... got some drippy faucets so she figured out ... drippy faucets, how that would work if we dripped every day for a period of time, and she has those figures if you're interested in them. I called a swimming pool company to ask what it would take to fill a 25,000 gallon swimming pool and they said it would take a hose running steady for 2 days. There's no way that we used that amount of water. That's ridiculous to think that we used that water. And that's why I'm appealing it. I thought ... be glad to pay the bill, that's no problem. It's the principal of the thing and it's. ..because I know we didn't use that water. And you know, meters never lie. You know. I don't know. Mayor Chmiel: It seems like a tremendous amount of usage for that period of time. And not only that but that meter was approximately 4% slow, which is something in itself. Do you have any other questions that you might have now at this time? Councilman Berquist: Yes I do. And I have a little bit of knowledge on how those things work and they cannot run fast I do have a couple questions. Who's Chris? Don Ashworth: Our utility billing clerk. Councilman Berquist: Does this thing have an outside reading? Don Ashworth: Yes it does. Councilman Berquist: I don't know how the outside reading gets transferred from the meter to the gauge. I do know a small thermostat type wire runs from the outside read to the meter itself. Don Ashworth: Correct. Councilman Berquist: I suspect at some point ... meter that transfers that out. Is it possible that there was a trickle charge coming from somewhere that would have spun that outside read gauge? Did the outside read gauge and the meter jive? Don Ashworth: One of the problems we have is, it's difficult a lot of times to get into the home so when the meters were changed out, we compared outside versus inside. But the previous reading from the inside was so old that, I don't know. I'd have to check that question to see whether or not there had been, at some point in time, an inside read versus an outside and how those correlate. 12 ' City Council Meeting - September 9, 1996 ' Councilman Berquist: I'm not an electrical engineer but I know that quite frequently watermains are used as the grounding source and if there was something else completing the circuit, touching the water line ... control the transformer or something like that. I'm just...297,000 gallons is a heck of a lot of water. Don Ashworth: It is but I did note in December we had another resident. In that instance their water softener stuck ' on and their bill was over $900.00. That they did pay. Mayor Chmiel: That's terrible. Councilman Berquist: So in one month, no in one quarter. Don Ashworth: One quarter. Councilman Berquist: This bill is $340.00? So what you're saying is that in one month there was over a million gallons dumped? ' Don Ashworth: Three months, one quarter, for the other billing occurring in December of 1995. Councilman Berquist: In three months. There was a million gallons... through the water softener. ' Don Ashworth: Yes. Whatever would translate into $900.00. Assuming two or three times more than this. Councilman Berquist: And there was no evidence, I mean obviously that was fore to pay. In this case there was ' nothing like that that's been fordable? I don't know. I don't know. Don Ashworth: If you'd like to table this for me to check out that electrical question, I could. ' Councilman Berquist: Well it'd be an interesting question. Don Ashworth: The only thing I'd be aware of is instances where the wire has been damaged and has actually slowed down the read or stopped it sporadically. Councilman Berquist: If you can slow it down, you can probably speed it up. ' Don Ashworth: That's the question I'd like to ask Councilman Berquist: I mean you can't do that with the meter just because of the way the thing's put together but. ' Don Ashworth: Right. I wouldn't mind responding to both of those questions if I could. ' Councilman Berquist: I'll move to table until you can research it. Mayor Chmiel: Is there any other discussions on this before I call for a second? ' Councilwoman Dockendorf. I'm just wondering what that would accomplish, if anything. Councilman Senn: Well I think it's good to answer the question but I was telling Mike before here that I kind of ' sympathize because I'm going through the same thing right now on a building where we normally use 5,000 a month and all of a sudden in a quarter we ended up with 75,000 more gallons than we normally use. ' Mayor Chmiel:... Councilman Senn: No, we found the problem. I mean the problem was an internal leak in one toilet that caused 75,000 gallons. I mean we had a plumber even go through the building and check everything during that time period 13 CITY OF CHANHASSEN 690 COULTER DRIVE • P.O. BOX 147 • CHANHASSEN, MINNESOTA 55317 (612) 937 -1900 a FAX (612) 937 -5739 MEMORANDUM TO: Mayor and City Council FROM: Don Ashworth, City Manager DATE: August 30, 1996 SUBJ. Request to Appeal Water Bill, Doug Roper, 2751 Sandpiper Trail Request: The Ropers have used an average of 28,000 gallons of water for the past ten years. Their billing for the quarter ending May 31S was for 297,000 gallons - approximately 10 times higher than their normal usage. They are appealing this bill and are seeking relief from such by the City Council. Analvsis: Meters were read during the May 21 -May 23 time period in the north and west part of Lake Minnewashta. On May 28' Chris noted high water usage at the Ropers when she processed their utility bill. Chris requested a reread which resulted in: 1) A verification that the previous reading was correct and 2) that the usage for the past 5 or 6 days had been at the extremely high rate that had occurred in the previous quarter, i.e. 8,000 gallons in an approximate 5 day period. Chris then did two things — she notified the Ropers that they were using an extremely high level of water and contacted the Utility Department requesting that the meter be checked On May 31 % the meter was removed. At the time of removal, a third reading was taken which showed that virtually no water had been used during the past three days — in other words the problem had been convected. The city does own a state approved "water test bench." Jerry Boucher used this machine to verify that the old meter was running accurately at high usage and approximately 4% slow at low usage. The new meter was rechecked on June 28 with the Ending that approximately 5,000 gallons had been used during the previous 30 days and that the Ropers usage had returned to the ten year normal level. I have not had an appeal reach this office for the past 10 years. In that instance, the story was almost identical to the Ropers with the exception that the owner had found that the toilet "flush flap" (probably not the technical name) only partially closed. The property owner simply could not afford to pay the $300+ bill. I agreed that the city would delete the penalties and the late charges if the property owner would pay the bill, in three equal payments, each month until paid. CITY OF CHANHASSEN 690 COULTER DRIVE • P.O. BOX 147 • CHANHASSEN, MINNESOTA 55317 (612) 937 -1900 • FAX (612) 937 -5739 August 30, 1996 ' Douglas and Kathleen Roper 2751 Sandpiper Trail Excelsior, MN 55331 ' Dear Mr. and Mrs. Roper: I have scheduled your appeal of your utility bill on the September 9, 1996 City Council Agenda. I am attaching a copy of the tentative agenda for that meeting. My guess is that your item will appear about 7:45 p.m. I am also attaching a copy of the staff report which will be distributed to the city council members together with your current letter, my letter of August 1, your letter of July 15, and all of ' the billing records that you submitted. I must apologize for my letter of August 1, 1996. In retrospect, it was far too short and the chart was more of a disservice than a service. I am in hopes that after you read the staff report that you will reconsider your decision to appeal this ' item. I cannot help but believe that all parties will find themselves in the awkward position of wanting to provide greater relief than is being recommended, but feeling as though their hands are tied in that doing anything other than that being recommended would be a disservice to the ' rest of the community. The offer to handle your billing in the manner shown under the recommendation is being offered should you decide not to formally appeal. ' Should you have any questions, please feel free to contact me. Sincerely, t Don Ashworth City Manager DA-v August 17, 1996 Chanhassen City Council RECEIVED 690 Coulter Drive P. 0. Box 147 AUG 2 2 1996 Chanhassen, MN 55317 CITY OF CHANHASSEN Dear Chanhassen City Council: We would like to appeal the decision made by City Manager Don Ashworth referenced in his letter dated August 1, 1996, a copy of which is attached. Also attached is my letter to him, dated July 15, 1996, which states our dilemma. (A copy of the July 15th letter was sent to the Chanhassen City Council.) I had asked for some examples of what type of water usage could actually result in a homeowner's average water usage being multiplied by 10, but that was not provided. What was provided was readings of our water meter, but there is no proof that the water meter was working properly at the time and that does not document that we actually "used the water ". We were also told that it is impossible for a water meter to run "fast ", and that the only possible malfunction is of having a meter run "slow ". We can only say that speaking in absolutes doesn't prove anything. We have lived at 2751 Sandpiper Lane, Chanhassen, for approximately ten years. Upon reviewing our records, our lowest water usage was 12,000 gallons (quarter ending 5- 31 -90) and our highest water usage was 44,000 gallons (quarter ending 5- 31 -88). A copy of all of our records are enclosed for your review. There is quite a variance between 12,000 and 44,000 gallons; however, it is reasonable to expect that water usage will vary. We never questioned these variances over the years and readily paid all of our bills in a timely manner. But when a bill for 297,000 gallons is presented to a homeowner, common sense tells you that something has to be wrong with the meter or there has to be * a leak somewhere. It was determined by City of Chanhassen personnel that there is no leak. It is something to ponder that if our water usage was really that high every quarter, our annual water bill would be about $2,000 - almost as much as our real estate taxes) We would like to reiterate that during the quarter ending 5- 31 -96, we did nothing different from what we've usually done during the rest of the ten years we have lived here. In fact, as referenced, in the letter, we are probably using less water as our daughter moved out in September 1995. This is a situation where no one can "prove" anything. We hope the Chanhassen City Council will make a decision based on what's reasonable and sensible. Respectfully, Douglas R. Roper Enclosures cc Don Chmiel, Mayor of Chanhassen / Don Ashworth, Chanhassen City Manager July 15,1996 Mr. Don Ashworth, City Manager City of Chanhassen 690 Coulter Drive P. O. Box 147 Chanhassen, MN 55317 Dear Mr. Ashworth: Although our water bill is still in dispute (copy enclosed), I want to send a payment that is approximately what we usually pay for our water during a quarter (copies of some past bills enclosed). A lot has been said by telephone about this situation, but I would like to put in writing at this time that during the quarter ending May 31, 1996, we did nothing different from what we've usually done during the rest of the ten years we have lived at 2751 Sandpiper Lane, Chanhassen, in terms of our water usage. We were surprised to receive a telephone call from someone at the City of Chanhassen, asking if we had used more water than usual in the last quarter. We were then shocked to receive a bill the following week indicating that we had used more than 10 times the amount of water we usually use, resulting in a charge of $395.95 for water usage for one quarter. We do not have a swimming pool to fill. We do not have a whirlpool or jacuzzi to fill. We do not have an underground sprinkling system, nor do we even water our lawn with above ground sprinklers, unless it is during a very hot period, which hasn't happened yet this summer. We generally do not wash our own cars - we use the car wash at the gas station. None of us ever discovered that the hose had been left running by mistake or anything like that. In retrospect, we are at a point where we are actually using less water than we ever have since we moved into the house in spring 1986, because our daughter left in September 1995 to live away from home and has not returned. That is a minimum reduction of seven showers, 2 -3 loads of laundry, several toilet flushings, and 1 -2 dishwasher loads per week. The only occupants of the house now are my husband, my son, and myself. It seems very unreasonable on the part of the City of Chanhassen to pursue the collection of this huge increase in our water bill when the occupants of the house had been continuing water usage as usual. I ponder daily what we could have possibly done to use 10 times more water than usual ? ?? As a homeowner and consumer, I feel like a helpless victim who at any time could be billed for an exorbitant amount of money for something that is out of the scope of my control. If we could have some examples of what type of water usage could actually result in our average water usage being multiplied by 10, we would appreciate it. In the meantime, we await the documentation you told my husband last week that you would send which reportedly shows we "used the water ", so that we can continue with our investigation of this matter. 1 1 1 1 1 Sincerely, Kathleen M. Roper cc: Don Chmiel, Mayor of Chanhassen Chanhassen City Council 1 UTIL;T'! 31LL 0 690 COULTER DRIVE .P0 90X • 47 � :,wwnl.EU.:..r.,a:— gun_,.. •� 1 ; f CHANHASSEN. MINNESOTA 5531 7 Z l :530 475.75 . 06/21/96 523.33 DOUG ROPER 2751 SANDPIPER TRAIL EXCELSIOR MN 5 1■ aal liaL'■I: IF.' fJ_ I: 1I1h'ldd�liS /laa��'�Id ■I_1►'iM� 1 CITY OF CHANHASSEN ' 69000UL7ERDRIVE Pu i12- 937 -•900 3 � =ill CHANHASSEN *AN 55317 91LL:NGEORPERIOOENO n=! ^1 195 VETERREAOING e•••fssm . r- ws..osr 1007 ±304 PREVIOUS I •gESENT 'JSAG'L 2 2751 SANI TRA.T.L SEWER 72.91) ' STORM WATER 5. riry 'MATER WA TER TEST XTCITAI -A CITY OF CHANHASSEN CITY OF CHANHASSEN ' 690 COULTER DRIVE PH 512- 937.19CG 690 00ULTERCRIVE PH 612. 937.1900 SEN • NI 5 `AN 55317 ',11580 CHANHASSEN 53,7 3115$0 CHANHASSEN 91LLINGF:R PERIOD ENDING 31LUNG = ^.R PERIOD ENDING n q ■ 11/30/95 •AE'ERREADING a•.. n / 5 ME READING fssEO . •+oys•ws �E...f ESEL �. •.pyl.•L31 9 5 Z 079 �5 07 1007 2 . PRE%IOLIS PRESENT USAGE PFIE':IC�S PRESET* jSA:E 2751 SA;JDP:PER TRAIL 2751 SANDPIPER TRAIL SEWER 80.60 SEWER 72.80 ' STORM WATER 5.00 STORM WATER 5.00 WATER ;1.10 WATER 3 WATER TEST 2.00 WATER TEST 2.0 ' *TOTAL* 117.70 *TOTAL* 112.60 r- I _ 8♦:I�a�il'.'JF. r•:1��id'.11.'#.'7t11'l� CITY OF CHANHASSEN CITY OF CHANHASSEN 69000ULTERORIVE PH 612 - 937.1900 i 69000ULTERDRIVE PH 6 937 -'9CC' f CHANHASSEN MN 55317 CHANHASSEN %IN 311580 55317 3-1013(30 I BILLING FOR PERIOD ENDING ^� —]1�5 B4L:NG FOR PERIOD ENDING AA /or • METER READING •E••+fssEo .•.ous..osl METER READING E•• +ESSSO . r.oys.wi 894 925 31 925 953 h8 PREVIOUS I PRESENT I USAGE PREVIOUS I PRESENT I USA'!E 2751 SANDPIPER TRAIL S 80s60 SEWER 80.50 WATER 36.85 STORM WATER 5.00 ST7R4 WAT. 5000 WATER 32.80' WAT. TEST 2000 WATER TEST 2.00 &T7TALO 124.45 *TOTAL* 120.40 it.i�� 1;1:'16'1111: M i•:I��JI��t- '4.'7iil =m , r 1 CITY OF CHANHASSEN 690 COULTER DRIVE PH 312.337. ' CHANHASSEN.NAN 55317 3- 1015 BILLING FOR PERIOD ENDING 11 =30�A 1 METERREADING a•••sfsso • r•'P+'• 834 863 29 PRESENT PREVIOUS ' JSAGE - SEWER 78.CO WATER 34.15 STORM VAT* 3.22 WAT. TEST 2.00 *TOTAL* 117.37 V ■.1. 11� CITY OF CHANHASSEN 690 COULTER DRIVE PH 612. 937. 3101500 CHANHASSEN.MN 55317 05 -31 -94 ' BILLING FOR PERIOD ENDING ncssso w ••ous•wsI ' METERREADtNG s' 27 791 80d ; PREVIOUS I PRESENT USAIiE C:rf OF "CHANHASSEN 690•:0 , _L 7cF;CRIVE PH 51:.937• ";1 \HASSEN `AN 35317 3- 101500 BILLING FOR P9RICOc'+CING A 7ass.2 9.9 5 _ ME ° %P REAO�NG ••••sfsfo w •.ws.•osI 953 994 I • 31 PREVIOUS I 'RESENT USAGE SEWER 80.60 WATER 36.85 STORM WAT. 5000 WAT. TEST 2000 *TOTAL* 124.45 � :� a � J r:l lra•••� u l •,r CIV OFCHANHASSEN 69000UL7ERORIV'E PH 512.937• ' 3- 101500 CHANHASSEN MN 55317 I BILLING FOP PERIOO ENDING 08- 31 -9 4 ' ME -Ea REA ING e•- Essaow...n:s••RS• 808 834 • 26 ' PREVIOUS PRESENT •.:S CITY OF CHANHASSEN CITY OF CHANHASSEN 69000ULTERDRIVE PH 612.937 -1900 69000ULTERORIVE PH.612.937.1900 1 3- 101500 CHANHASSEN MN 55317 3- 101500 CHANHASSEN.MN 55317 • , BILLING FOR PERIOD ENDING 11 -30 -93 BILLING FOR PERIOD ENDING 02 - METER READING •e•nssuo •. •.q.f.•osr METER READING R••.fssto « r•ws•wO 723 751 28 751 i 781 ( 30 PREVIOUS I PRESENT I USAGE PREVIOUS PRESENT USAGE SEWER 75.40 SEWER 78.00 WATER 32.80 WATER 35.50 STORM WAT. 3.22 STORM WAT. 3.22 WAT. TEST 2.00 WAT. TEST 2.00 *TOTAL* 113.42 *TOTAL* 118.72 78.00 SE 78.00 SEWER 31.45 WATER 30.10 WATER 3 * 22 STORM HAT. 3.22 STORM WAT. 2100 WAT. T 2.00 HAT, TEST 114.67 *TOTAL* 113.32 *TOTAL* CITY OF CHANHASSEN CITY OF CHANHASSEN 69000ULTERDRIVE PH 612.937 -1900 69000ULTERORIVE PH.612.937.1900 1 3- 101500 CHANHASSEN MN 55317 3- 101500 CHANHASSEN.MN 55317 • , BILLING FOR PERIOD ENDING 11 -30 -93 BILLING FOR PERIOD ENDING 02 - METER READING •e•nssuo •. •.q.f.•osr METER READING R••.fssto « r•ws•wO 723 751 28 751 i 781 ( 30 PREVIOUS I PRESENT I USAGE PREVIOUS PRESENT USAGE SEWER 75.40 SEWER 78.00 WATER 32.80 WATER 35.50 STORM WAT. 3.22 STORM WAT. 3.22 WAT. TEST 2.00 WAT. TEST 2.00 *TOTAL* 113.42 *TOTAL* 118.72 CITY OF CHANHASSEN 690 COULTER DRIVE 'H 612 - 937.1900 CHANHASSEN.MN 55317 3-101: CO BILLING FOR PERIOD ENDING QIGr '�1rQ� METERREAOING .t•••tsxo +. agq..00 , 660 1 694 2d PREVIOUS 'RESENT i USAGE SEWER 75.40 WATER 32.80 STORM MAT. 3 *22 WAT* TEST 2.00 *TOTAL* 113942 � y�a�� ■1!.'1!.`11 =� CITY OF CHANHASSEN 69000ULTERORIVE PH.612.937. 1900 3- 101500 CHANHASSEN MN 55317 BILLING FOR PERIOD ENDING 11- METERREAOING rt•»tsxom+.ws.wsl I 648 637 29 PREVIOUS PRESENT USAGE SEWER 64.80 WATER 32.70 STORM WAT* 3 *22 WAT* TEST 2*00 * TOTAL* 102*72 1aaJ�:1h'f.'fUl =jr CITY OF CHANHASSEN 69000ULTERORIVE PH.612- 937 -1900 3- 101506HANHASSEN. MN 55317 BILLING FOR PERIOD ENDING 05 311 - 9 2 METER READING Ia..asxo . Rcus•.osl 5591 586 I 27 PREVIOUS i PRESENT I USAGE SEWER 64980 RATER 30.10 STORM WAT. 3922 *TOTAL* 98912 CIT`l O� CHANHASSEN 59000UL7ERORIVE 7H 57: -937 -'900, 3- 101500 ". ANHASS 'AN 55317 BILLING E':R PERIOD ENDING 08 -31 -93 ME"PREADING iwtsxo ...a,s.+osl 094 723 29 'REb!OLS 'RESENT USAGE SEWER 75.40 WATER 34.1 STORM WAT. 3.2 NAT. TEST 2.0 *TOTAL* 114.77 CITY OF CHANHASSEN 690 COULTER DRIVE PH 612- 937. ' 3.1015 00 -'AANHAESEN MN 55317 ?ILL:NG e : * P'A-CO E'IDING 02 'AE [RREADING, •n.ts•io •+ +.n• -..I:o 637 666 29 :RESENT .::AGE SEWER 75.4 WATER 34 *1 STORM WAT* 3*2 WAT* TEST 2400 *TOTAi.* 114*7� CITY OF CHANHASSEN 690 COULTER DRIVE PH 612. 937 -1900 CHANHASSEN.MN 55317 3- 101500 r 92 31 r BILLING FOR PER100 ENDING 0 METERREACING a•�tsxo. l.ws•ROSI 586 608 i 22 PREVIOUS PRESENT ( USAGE SEWER 64*8� WATER 24.2 STORM WAT* 3 *22 WAT* TEST 29 0 *TOTAL* 94. CITY OF CHANHASSEN 890 COULTER DRIVE PH 612. 937.1900 3-101500 - HANHASSEN MN 55317 C BILLINGFORPERIODENDING 11 -30-91 VIETERREAOINGE.•+E S:EP w r+pl,suxlel 505 532 27 PPE`+1OU5 PRESENT I USAGE C.-+'! OF CHANHASSEN 99 PH 512. 937.1900 3- 101500 - 'NHASSEN 'AN 553:7 "' 91LL.NG "g a cmCL ENDING 02 -29.92 YE aEAOING x.•+as•.!o w r+ns...osl 532 559 i t 27 PPEV:C•_S ""SENT USAGE SEWER 55400 SEWER MATER 64.80 30.10 WATER 30.10 STORM WAT. 3922 STORM WAT. 3.22 *TOTAL* 98012 *TOTAL* 88.32 PPEV'CUS PRESENT I USAGE PREVr - S PRESENT I USAGE I 7 �naa�ratir.�ur� a.�� JAati�.yur.1� CITY OF CHANHASSEN CITY OF CHANHASSEN 69000ULTERORIVE PH.612- 937. 690 COULTER DRIVE PH.612- 937. 3- 101500 CHANHASSEN MN 55317 3-1015 CO >ANHASSEN MN 55317 SILL:NGFCRPERIOOENDING 05 -31 -91 91LLNG -JR aERICO ENDING 08 -31 -91 ME BEADING 'E.e +ESS[P w *•nYS••om ME'EP READNG 4• +E[[EG + rwOYY+PSI 458 482 1 24 482 505 23 PPEV'CUS PRESENT I USAGE PREVr - S PRESENT I USAGE SEWER 52.50 SEWER 55.00 WATER 19 WATER 25.30 STORM WAT. 3.22 STORM WAT, 3.22 *TOTAL* 75.62 *TOTAL* 83.52 1 i 11�r1rf 1l.'f.'i�l �•� im CITY OF CHANHASSEN 69000ULTERDRIVE PH.612- 937.1900 3- 101500 CHANHASSEN.MN 55317 BILLING FOR PERIOD ENDING 11 - 30 - 90 METER READING •exr.esseo w nqusx.o.l 409 1 433 I 24 PREVIOUS I PRESENT USAGE CITY OF CHANHASSEN 690 COULTER DRIVE PH. 612- 937 -1900 3- 1015C0 CHANHASSEN. MN 55317 ^ BILLING F'g PEPICO ENDING o %IE READING rtle+E[s[o w r+PYS•+PSI 433 458 1 2: PgEVIC-S PRESENT USAGE SEWER 52.50 SEWER 65.40 ;LATER 20.75 WATER 19090 STORM WAT. 5.35 *TOTAL* 85930 *TOTAL* 78.60 C7TY OF CHANHASSEN CIT`! OF CHANHASSENI 69000 ULTEERORIVE PH 512 -937 -1900 3- 101500 CHANHASSEEN,AIIN 55317 69000ULTERORIVE PH.612 -937 -1900, CHANHASSEN.INAN 55317 91LUNG FOR PERIOD ENDING 05 - 31 -90 3- 101500 SLUNG FOR PERICO ME TER READING •ta.rtsua SNO:NG A p —11 —O A ,•y�y 378 ' METER READING tar+turo w rwusnwsl 390 12 PREVIOUS 390 409 19 PRESENT USAGE PREVIOUS PRESENT 1 USAGE SEWER 65.40 WATER SERER 65.40 9.70 *TOTAL* WATER 15.65' 75.10 *TOTAL* 81905 1♦.��a:�1.Y1.`!+ t'.1�aJ1.tt�'lyllJ:t CITY OF CHANHASSEN ; PH.612- 937 -1900 CITY OF CHANHASSEN 690 COULTER DRIVE CHANHASSEN. MN 55317 690 COULTER DRIVE PH 612- 937.1900 3101500 11 -30_89 55317 3- 101500 C-MUU BILLING FOR PERIOD ENDING currtsuo � rwCOSa»MI tN SSc'N.MN SICCING F:R PERIOD ENDING Z - � ® _� 9 METER READING ( 21 METER P..EADING 'tar.essco n r.wus•«osl i 326 3 47 USAGE 347 378 31 P NT OREV10US i PREVIOUS I PRESENT I USAGE 46.05 SEWER 17.35 SEWER 6540 , WATER 63.40 MATER 25..85 *TOTAL* *TOTAL* 91.25 t \/�V� / 1f CITY OF CHANHASSEN 690 C Min r ota Chanhassen. Minnesota 55317 CITY OF CHANHASSEN Phone: 812.937.1900 690 COULTER DRIVE PH.612- 937 -1900 RETURNED POSTAGE GUARANTEED CHANHASSEN..MN 55317 3- 101500 PERIODENOING A5 — =1 —AC BILLING FOR PERIOD ENDING 9 Z METER READING METER READING 6"ftsu0 -m T qZ sl 1 0 2I 41 302 6 l PREVIOUS I PRESENT CONSUMPTION PREVIOUS PRESENT USAGE , SEWER 46*05 WATER 34 *35 SEWER 46.05 WATER 19.9 *TOTAL* 65.9 ACCOUNT NUMBER TOTAL DUE 3- 101500' 80.40 RETAIN THIS PORTION FOR YOUR RECORDS °mm , I�l n �� ICI ` ili �• . 7 1 ACCO UNT NUMBER TOTAL DUE �_,n14o0 7 3.25 Phone: 612. 937.1900 RETURNED POSTAGE GUARANTEED PERIODENDING 02 -28 -89 METER READING 239 1 261 1 22 PREVIOUS PRESENT CONSUMPTION Sc WATER 46.05 18.20 ACCOUNT NUMBER TOTAL DUE 3- 101500 1 64.25 RETAIN THIS PORTION FOR YOUR RECORDS CITY OF CHANHASSEN 690 Coulter Drive Chanhassen, Minnesota 55317 I Phone: 612.937 -1900 RETURNED POSTAGE GUARANTEED PERIODENDING 05 -31 -8b METER READING 14 L PREVIOUS PRESENT CONSUMPTION SEWER 91.20 MATER 36.90 CITY OF CHANHASSEN 690 Coulter Drive Chanhassen, Minnesota 55317 Phone: 612- 937.1900 RETURNED POSTAGE GUARANTEED PERIOD ENDING METER READING 1921 2141 22 PREVIOUS PRESENT CONSUMPTION SEWER 31.2;: WATER 13.20 ACCOUNT NUMBER TOTAL DUE - 3 l U l2 U U LLD . l U I ACCOUNT NUMBER TOTAL DUE 1 3- 101500 I 109.40 N O TTM f4RTTAr T R I RETAIN THIS PORTION FOR YOUR RECORDS CITY OF CHANHASSEN 690 Coulter Drive Chanhassen, Minnesota 55317 Phone: 612 - 937.1900 RETURNED POSTAGE GUARANTEED PERIODENDING 11 -30 -87 METER READING 731 1051 32 PREVIOUS PRESENT CONSUMPTION SEWER 78.30 WATER 26.70 CITY OF CHANHASSEN 690 Coulter Drive Chanhassen, Minnesota 55317 Phone: 612.937 -1900 RETURNED POSTAGE GUARANTEED PERIODENDING n1�7Q�flH METER READING 1051 1481 43 PREVIOUS PRESENT I CONSUMPTION SEWER 91.20 WATER 36.05 Phone: 612- 'J31 - RETURNED POSTAGE GUARANTEED PERIOD ENDING 1 1 —qn —RR METER READING 214 PREVIOUS 1 239 25 PRESENT CONSUMPTION 1 I 52.50 ; SEWER 20.75 WATER 7 1 ACCO UNT NUMBER TOTAL DUE �_,n14o0 7 3.25 Phone: 612. 937.1900 RETURNED POSTAGE GUARANTEED PERIODENDING 02 -28 -89 METER READING 239 1 261 1 22 PREVIOUS PRESENT CONSUMPTION Sc WATER 46.05 18.20 ACCOUNT NUMBER TOTAL DUE 3- 101500 1 64.25 RETAIN THIS PORTION FOR YOUR RECORDS CITY OF CHANHASSEN 690 Coulter Drive Chanhassen, Minnesota 55317 I Phone: 612.937 -1900 RETURNED POSTAGE GUARANTEED PERIODENDING 05 -31 -8b METER READING 14 L PREVIOUS PRESENT CONSUMPTION SEWER 91.20 MATER 36.90 CITY OF CHANHASSEN 690 Coulter Drive Chanhassen, Minnesota 55317 Phone: 612- 937.1900 RETURNED POSTAGE GUARANTEED PERIOD ENDING METER READING 1921 2141 22 PREVIOUS PRESENT CONSUMPTION SEWER 31.2;: WATER 13.20 ACCOUNT NUMBER TOTAL DUE - 3 l U l2 U U LLD . l U I ACCOUNT NUMBER TOTAL DUE 1 3- 101500 I 109.40 N O TTM f4RTTAr T R I RETAIN THIS PORTION FOR YOUR RECORDS CITY OF CHANHASSEN 690 Coulter Drive Chanhassen, Minnesota 55317 Phone: 612 - 937.1900 RETURNED POSTAGE GUARANTEED PERIODENDING 11 -30 -87 METER READING 731 1051 32 PREVIOUS PRESENT CONSUMPTION SEWER 78.30 WATER 26.70 CITY OF CHANHASSEN 690 Coulter Drive Chanhassen, Minnesota 55317 Phone: 612.937 -1900 RETURNED POSTAGE GUARANTEED PERIODENDING n1�7Q�flH METER READING 1051 1481 43 PREVIOUS PRESENT I CONSUMPTION SEWER 91.20 WATER 36.05 Chanhassen. Minnesota 55317 Phone: 612. 937.1900 RETURNED POSTAGE GUARANTEED PERIOD ENDING a 1 2= 37 METER READING 12 47 PREVIOUS PRESENT CONSUMPTION SEWER 78.30 WATER 29.25 ACCOUNT NUMBER TOTAL DUE 3- 101500 i 107.55 RETAIN THIS PORTION FOR YOUR RECORDS CITY OF CHANHASSEN 690 Coulter Drive Chanhassen, Minnesota 55317 Phone: 612. 937.1900 RETURNED POSTAGE GUARANTEED PERIODENOING 11 -30 -86 METER READING 946 I 975 I 29 PREVIOUS PRESENT CONSUMPTION SEVER 48.20 WATER 24.15 690 Coulter Drive Channassen. Minnesota 55317 ' Phone: 612- 937 -1900 RETURNED POSTAGE GUARANTEED PERIOD ENDING 0 - 31 -8 t METER READING 7 261 PREVIOUS 4� PRESENT 1 CONSUMPTION SEWER 78.3 WATER 21.6 I ACCOUNT NUMBER f TOTAL DUE 3- 101500 i o9.90 RETAIN THIS PORTION FOR YOUR RECORDS �C'CITY O� CHANHASSEN �6 Coulter Drive ' Chanhassen, Minnesota 55317 Phone: 612- 937.1900 RETURNED POSTAGE GUARANTEED PERIOD ENDING 02 - 28 -1 METER READING 9751 1C121 37 PREVIOUS PRESENT CON SUMPTIj SE W EIR 7A.3U WATER 30.91 1 ACCOUNT NUMBER TOTAL DUE i- 1012UU IL•j' .rruu T 19 PORTION FOR YOUR RECORDS CITY OF CHANHASSEN 690 Coulter Drive I Chanhassen, Minnesota 55317 Phone: 612- 937 -1900 RETURNED POSTAGE GUARANTEED PERIOD ENDING 05 -31 -86 METER READING 884 908 24 PREVIOUS PRESENT 1 CONSUMPTION BAL FWD 46908CR SEWER 48.20 WATER 19.90 ACCOUNT NUMBER TOTAL DUE 3— i0150C 109.25 RETAIN THIS PORTION FOR YOUR RECORDS ,, CITY OF CHANHASSEN 690 Coulter Drive ' Chanhassen. Minnesota 55317 Phone: -312- 937.19 RETURNED POSTAGE GUARANTEED PERIODENDING 08 - 31 -9 t METER READING 9GEI 946 38 pgEV10U5 PRESENT CONSUMPTION ScWCR 48.20, WATER 31.80