Adjust My Water Bill!

Idea; Just Close The City of Cleveland's Division of Water for the Summer

2011-06-01T17:27:03-04:00

At this point, and after more than 2 years of total dysfunction, maybe the people and the fantastic array of computers just need a rest.

Not only can't the folks at this public utility not keep up with the flood of commplaints that still clog up the ultra-modern phone system, but there aren't even enough employees to install meters.

A close friend of mine asked me how he could convince the customer service reps that he really needs a water meter installed at his newly-built house?

He did admit to me that he is pretty frightened to see the first water bill that will be mailed to him shortly.

That's because it will have to be an estimate.

Oh Noooooooo!!!

Facebook Page Set-Up To Assist Clevelanders With Water Company Complaints!

2011-04-27T16:01:31-04:00

From Joe Pagonakis-WEWS-TV-5

The Cleveland Division of Water has now expanded its ability to respond to consumers in an effort to improve response time and deal with a large number complaints.

The water department launched a new "one-call" phone system several months ago, and has a series of phone numbers listed on its website at (http://5.wews.com/Tnm ) that consumers can use to find the customer service help they're looking for.

Water department customers can file their complaints online by filling out a form listed in the "contact us" section of water department website ( http://5.wews.com/Log ).

Consumers are also invited to write letters and send in copies of documentation outlining their customer service problems to: City of Cleveland, Division of Water, P.O Box 94540, Cleveland, Ohio 44101. The water department address and a complete list of payment options can be found at on the water department website ( http://5.wews.com/ny6 ).

The Cleveland Division of Water has even set-up its own Facebook page ( http://5.wews.com/M9a ) where consumers can file their complaints, comments and concerns.

Great Job Channel 5!

Update; The Ohio Attorney General Just Got Involved!

Read

What a mess!

The Solution; Cleveland Division of Water Sends Shut-Off Notices To Area Residents

2010-07-26T14:40:29-04:00

Problem solved.

Maybe the officials at Cleveland's embattled Division of Water figure that if enough people receive water shut-off notices, then their billing system will be under less stress, and the bills will magically correct themselves.

Could work.

I just received an overdue notice. It looks like this;

My account is supposed to be on hold, while I dispute the erroneous charges. Maybe I can hit like a world record for "Length of time being in dispute with a smoothly-run public utility."

*****************************************************************************************

So, I go to fax a short letter stating that my bill has been placed on hold. One little problem;

No. Fax. Number.

Is there a bigger comedy of errors in Cleveland, these days?

**PS. I found this fax number online. I hope it works;

216-579-0414

Correction. It's the wrong number. I'm surprised. Don't fax anything to it. It's a private company.

Cleveland Division Of Water Is Promising Change

2010-07-18T10:05:28-04:00

After almost two years of major billing and customer-service problems, change may be in the air, or so were being told.

From The Plain Dealer (Which has been reporting on one of the most problem-plagued public utility for almost 10 months);

"The outcry from hundreds of the 1.5 million water customers in 70 communities across Northeast Ohio was the catalyst for comprehensive restructuring of the division, said Darnell Brown, the city's chief operating officer."

And;

Customers' opinions played a vital role in the ongoing changes, Director of Utilities Barry Withers said.

He said;

"We listened to folks and realized that our system was geared to a bureaucracy and not geared to customers," Withers said.

Read the rest of this story over at Cleveland.com

Do you think things will finally get back to normal, and we can get our erroneous water bills fixed, and get our adjustments?

Chime in, below...

Cleveland "Lawn Killer" Admits To Hoax

2010-07-08T23:00:42-04:00

From wire reports;

--- Cleveland, Ohio; The Cleveland area gentleman who admitted to killing his lawn in order to avoid adding new revenue to the City Of Cleveland's Division Of Water, admitted in a Miami, Florida courtroom that he didn't really kill his lawn.

Joel Libava, also known as The Franchise King®, told One-Up-On-You-Media that the lawn he admitted to killing was actually almost dead, anyway.

It seems that the Cleveland, Ohio area has been in somewhat of a drought the past few weeks, and almost every lawn on his street looks like the one pictured in this story.

"I just refuse to water it," Libava said. "That's it."

He continued, "There's no way that the flakes over at the Cleveland Water Department are going to get their hands on any more of my money until the erroneous bills that I've been getting for the past one and a half years are fixed."

Judge Wayne Heat, and the Dade County, Florida prosecutor, Chris Bush, agreed to let Libava fly back to Cleveland with all charges for the lawn killing officially dropped.

Coincidentally, it was learned that Libava, who is involved in franchising, happens to work with a franchisor out of Chicago who offers lawn-care services for busy homeowners. He helps them with some of their cutting-edge marketing.

"I hope that I didn't offend them. I know how important lush, green lawns are to them, and I want mine green again, too."

-- One-Up-On-You-Media