Guthrie residents were taken aback when they opened their December water bills and noticed steep increases compared to prior months. In response to the growing concern on social media, the City of Guthrie issued a statement on Monday to address the issue.
Approximately 150 of the city’s 3,500 water customers are facing higher-than-usual bills this month. City officials explained that the problem stems from a malfunction in the automatic meter reading system, which uses antennas to monitor water usage.
“About six months ago, one of the meter reading stations on the east side of town stopped working,” City Manager Eddie Faulkner said. “This led the utility office to rely on estimated water usage instead of actual readings.”
In November, a replacement meter station was installed, enabling accurate water usage tracking. The December bills reflect the corrected readings from November, which accounted for discrepancies during the months of estimated usage.
“We understand that this situation poses a significant challenge for many residents, especially during the holiday season,” Faulkner said in a statement.
To ease the burden on affected customers, the City of Guthrie announced several measures:
- Impacted customers will only be charged for their water usage as recorded in November.
- No water disconnections will occur in December.
- The utility office is actively working to find the best solutions for customers with overcharges.
“The City is committed to working closely with all affected customers to ensure the issue is resolved fairly and efficiently,” Faulkner concluded with.
Residents are encouraged to contact the utility office if they have questions or require further assistance.
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