Ontario woman shocked by $6,200 bill for water she didn't know was being used
An Ontario woman is shocked to be stuck with a water bill for more than $6,200 because of a leaky toilet.
Daniel Stronach helps his sister Georgia Stronach, who lives Aurora, because she has health issues. He manages her home ownership matters and utility bills.
They both got a huge surprise in January when they got a water bill for $3,864, which was linked to a leaky toilet.
"We had no identifiable knowledge that something was out of whack" said Daniel Stronach who added "I think it might have been a bathroom in the basement and the basement is not used really."
But they were even more surprised when the next water bill had risen to $6,227 after they thought the problem was resolved.
They were alerted by the water department with the Town of Aurora in mid-December that there appeared to be a potential leak in the home, but by the time they found out and fixed the toilet issue almost three weeks had passed and they were into a new billing cycle.
When Daniel Stronach called to complain on his sister’s behalf he was told they had to pay up.
"We have to pay the bill anyway, because if you don't pay it, they will put a lien on your house," said Daniel Stronach.
When CTV News Toronto reached out to the Town of Aurora, Manager of Communications Carley Smith said in a statement “Water and wastewater billings are issued quarterly and are based on water consumed as registered on your water meter. The Town reached out to the contact on file in December to alert the resident of a potential water leak.”
“Water customers are responsible for all water used, as recorded by their water meter. This includes water consumed by a resident and caused by a leak. The Town has been in touch with the resident to offer payment plan options as well information on other support programs such as the seniors tax deferral program,” said Smith.
Aurora bills for water every three months, and Daniel Stronach feels there should be a mechanism in place to warn customers if they're using a lot more water than they normally do.
"It's almost like a credit card. If you have oddities they immediately pick up and call you. These situations where it's a three month delay. That's crazy," said Daniel Stronach.
Aurora has advice on it's website on how to check for toilet leaks such as adding food colouring in the tank and waiting to see if the colour leaks into the bowl.
While Daniel Stronach was hopeful he could help his sister Georgia lower the $6,227 water bill, the best officials can do is allow her to pay in monthly installments over the next 12 to 15 months.
In addition to leaky toilets, running taps are the second most common reason for high water bills. If you have a bathroom in a basement you rarely use you may want to shut off the water supply to it which can prevent leaks and unexpected big bills.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Amid concerns over 'collateral damage' Trudeau, Freeland defend capital gains tax change
Facing pushback from physicians and businesspeople over the coming increase to the capital gains inclusion rate, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his deputy Chrystia Freeland are standing by their plan to target Canada's highest earners.
Widow looking for answers after Quebec man dies in Texas Ironman competition
The widow of a Quebec man who died competing in an Ironman competition is looking for answers.
Tom Mulcair: Park littered with trash after 'pilot project' is perfect symbol of Trudeau governance
Former NDP leader Tom Mulcair says that what's happening now in a trash-littered federal park in Quebec is a perfect metaphor for how the Trudeau government runs things.
Fewer medical students going into family medicine contributing to doctor shortage
As some family doctors are retiring and others are moving away from family medicine, there are fewer medical students to take their place.
'It's discriminatory': Individuals refused entry to Ontario legislature for wearing keffiyeh
Individuals being barred from entering Ontario’s legislature while wearing a keffiyeh say the garment is part of their cultural identity— and the only ones making it political are the politicians banning it.
Bodies found by U.S. authorities searching for missing B.C. kayakers
United States authorities who have been searching for a pair of missing kayakers from British Columbia since the weekend have recovered two bodies in the nearby San Juan Islands of Washington state.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.
Photographer alleges he was forced to watch Megan Thee Stallion have sex and was unfairly fired
A photographer who worked for Megan Thee Stallion said in a lawsuit filed Tuesday that he was forced to watch her have sex, was unfairly fired soon after and was abused as her employee.
Competition bureau finds 'substantial' anti-competitive effects with proposed Bunge-Viterra merger
The proposed merger of agricultural giants Viterra and Bunge is raising competition concerns from the federal government.