ALEXANDRIA, Tenn. (WTVF) — Chances are you've been billed for something by accident. Hopefully, you got a credit and it didn't happen again.
In Alexandria, a small town in DeKalb County, residents are receiving water bills for $200, $300, or even more than $400 without turning on the tap often at all.
When we heard this was happening, we took the concerns to the mayor's office and to the state to get answers.
Perhaps there is a leak?
I found out, for better or worse, a citizen complaint to the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation now has the state department investigating the water issues.
Residents like Sherry Tubbs are anxious to learn what they find out. For months, she's been paying astronomically high bills.
"$424," she said about one bill from the past year. "I paid that myself out of my own pocket. I cleaned cars. Literally. I have a friend who rents cars. I asked if I could clean cars for a week and they let me do it."
The average water bill in Tennessee is about $40.
With cats, dogs, and three grandchildren under the same roof, Tubbs expects bills to be high just not this lopsided. She says she's struggled to get anyone at Alexandria city hall or the water utility district to make it make sense. The same goes for the water quality at her house and around town. Often, the water coming out of her faucets is cloudy and brown.
According to TDEC, they are working with Alexandria officials to address issues with the water system and identify locations that need to be flushed. TDEC officials said it could not speculate on potential costs.
"I feel like this money is going somewhere. Where is all this money going?" Tubbs said.
On August 1, Alexandria elected a new mayor. She told us she called an emergency meeting to get things straightened out at the water department.
Do you have concerns about your water quality or your water bill? Send an email to hannah.mcdonald@newschannel5.com
Fostering Hope provides Christmas for kids in foster care. I'm delighted to see Fostering Hope expand this year to expand their reach to now include kids in Foster care in metro AND foster kids in East TN hard hit by Helene.
-Bree Smith
