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Cobb County home charged for 46,000 gallons
A Cobb County family had their water service restored after disputing an unexplained $700 utility bill for 46,000 gallons of water, according to county water officials.
COBB COUNTY, Ga. - A Cobb County family turned to investigative journalists after utility officials shut off their service over a massive, disputed $700 water bill.
Cobb County water dispute
What we know:
A local family has their water running again after a three-day service disconnection stemming from a $700 utility bill. The Cobb County Water System claimed the home went through 46,000 gallons of water in just one month, according to broadcast records.
The resident, Shannon Thompson, strongly disputed the usage and spent hours on hold with the utility provider over the last six months. Thompson said her bills fluctuated from 46,000 gallons down to 18,000 gallons, and then to 7,000 gallons, noting that her suspected leak "magically" fixed itself.
The utility provider sent a worker to the property who found no issues but demanded payment under the threat of disconnection. Thompson's landlord hired three separate plumbers to inspect the property, and every single one failed to find a leak.
Following media inquiries, Cobb County Water System Director Alicia Giddens contacted Thompson personally to establish a plan to restore service. The utility provider reduced the bill to approximately $400, and crews turned the water back on Thursday afternoon.
"It was 46,000. Then it went to 18,000, and then it went to 7000. And then magically, my leak fixed itself," Thompson said.
"Every single one said, we can't find anything. In fact, one of the plumbers tried to find something because the water company was not budging," Thompson added.
Disputed utility billing
What we don't know:
Officials have not yet confirmed the exact cause of the sudden spike in the water bill or why the registered usage fluctuated so drastically. Additionally, utility representatives have not stated if any technical errors occurred with the property's water meter.
Utility company response
The other side:
Cobb County Water System Director Alicia Giddens confirmed that crews initially cut off the service due to nonpayment on the account. Management maintained that the recorded measurements were verified as accurate.
"It appears that there was a period of higher than normal water usage at the residence, but we have verified that the meter readings are accurate, and the customer did not request a leak adjustment," Giddens wrote in a statement.
Utility officials added that there is no clear explanation on their end for the sudden consumption jump.
The Source: The information in this story was gathered from water customer Shannon Thompson, who explained her dynamic with the utility provider, as well as Cobb County Water System Director Alicia Giddens.