A few weeks ago I got a water bill from the City of Redmond. The bill listed the “Previous” meter reading at 191,800, the “Current Read” as 192,000, and “Consumption” as 1,000. Hmmm…. A calculator verified my hunch that the math was somewhat fuzzy. And an examination of earlier bills showed that, previously, the computer had always done the math correctly.
Last year, during the same two-month billing period, we had used about 1,000 cubic feet of water, but we had had a houseful of guests for an extended stay over the holidays. This year our normal two-person household had been reduced to a one-person household for the billing period and was even reduced to a zero person household for about 1/3 of that time while I was visiting the second person on the east coast.
When I called the water company they had a very simple explanation for their fuzzy math. The reading just seemed too low to them. So they figured the meter was stuck and “estimated” I used 1,000 cubic feet based on last year’s consumption.
“What! The! Fuck?” I was thinking as I politely explained the largely empty house during the billing period. I felt like I had just been pick-pocketed by my friendly city government and water provider. I suggested to the person on the phone that they should at least denote on the bill whenever they’ve entered an “estimated” amount. I mean, who the hell sits down and does the math from the raw meter readings every bill? “But…but…but” they had sent a meter reader out twice, she protested, as if that could somehow differentiate between a stuck water meter and an empty house.
In any case, I got the extra 800 cubic feet knocked off of my bill—all $11.68 of it. (Hey…it was the principle.)
A week later…a maintenance crew shows up and replaced the meter in front of my house. Uggggh!
The whole episode seemed like a big waste of time and resources—if they had simply called to ask about water usage in that billing period they’d have saved the expense of the second meter reading, the costs of sending a two-man crew to replace the meter, and the cost of the replacement meter.
I suppose one could use this as an example of the government being both inefficient and incompetent—you know…the way certain uninformed and hypocritical Wingnuts do in the comment threads all the time. In the big scheme of things my Redmond Water Utility experience is a drop of water in an ocean of government inefficiency and incompetence. Here’s the big picture version of my little story….
Okay Darryl — 200 cubic feet in two months. That is 1,496 gallons in 60 days. Just under 25 gallons per day for your whole house. And you live with a partner, right? How do you manage that exactly? A toilet flush is usually a gallon, even with economical toilets. A shower will usually use at least a gallon a minute — the “water saver” standard is about two gallons a minute.
Richard,
As I tried explaining in the post, my SO was living out of town during the entire billing period. I was visiting her for about 1/3 of the billing period. Hence, there were about 40 days of water usage by one (rather frugal) person. That’s 37 gal/day/person, which is about right.
That’s nothing. Wait until you get shot in Iraq and drop your M-16 rifle while they’re throwing you on the Medevac chopper.
Darryl @ 2
Okay, my wrong. I failed to apprehend the second sentence of the second paragraph. Makes an incredibly big difference. :)
Frankly, I don’t think either of you should consider living on a sailboat, where the water allowance is about 1/2 gal. per day per person.
Darryl, what did you expect from a Republican town like Redmond in a Republican county like East King County?
It sounds like Redmond needs to get its bad self a SOP for funky water readings. “Gee, I don’t know lets just fudge the bill” doesn’t quite cut it does it.
A phone call a second trip to the meter or something like that should be policy.
Not that I don’t care about your water bill issues, but right now I’m more interested in what you think of this
http://www.washblog.com/story/2008/2/6/21512/98341
Alcina,
I think it is stupid—and transparently so. I give it little chance to be passed, though. Thanks for the heads-up. I may write more about it later.
Redmond is replacing a good many of their meters, because many are old and I believe the new ones are more reliable and easier for them to read quickly. They replaced mine last year even though the old one was working fine (always legitimately recorded 1000 cf of use a month). I don’t think there is anything odd here.
10 Nothing odd, except it sounds like they went through the motions of replacing the meter so they wouldn’t have to admit that they screwed up.
It wouldn’t be so bad if the water were decent. Can’t help but wonder how much more development that muddy trickle of possum piss they call the Told River is going to be able to support.
Tolt, that is….My typing gets exponentially worse after midnight.
Calvin,
The water meter issue is the small stuff.
The 4,000 dead American soldiers (and, perhaps, another thousand contractors), the tens of thousands of wounded U.S. soldiers, the hundreds of thousands of dead and injured Iraqis, and the fourteen thousand dollars my family owes for the Iraq war is the big picture here.
Warning, but kind of on the same topic. Last year in Phoenix my sister was staying with her daughter and SIL on the other side of town for several weeks. When she eventually went back to her own house, in the dark, she could hear water running.
Water company said nothing, but it turned out that it was cold enough to freeze the pipes (yeah, can happen even in Phx). So the “Automatic Payment” suddenly yanked $500 from her checking acct to pay her water bill. Which, in turn, bounced her Mortgage – also being paid by “Automatic Payment”.
Personally, I prefer to keep my utilities paid by check so that I can keep a closer eye on them and feel like I have more control. I let the mortgage payment get automatically paid. Just saying.
Hey Darryl, before I get hammered to saying something about the water meter & bill – – I’m still waiting for the YouTube to load on my slow dialup. Haven’t seen it yet.
Okay, now I’ve seen it. Good One!
McCain is one scary dude and we thought shrub was bad!
If you want to get rid of the recurring Iraq War monthly charge, Barack Obama is far more likely to beat John McCain, at least in Washington:
http://www.surveyusa.com/clien.....cbc6a0295f
Obama beats McCain by 55%-38%, while Clinton ties McCain 46%-46%. Obama gets 25% of the Republican vote against McCain, while Clinton only gets 6%.
No Democrat can be elected President in 2008 without carrying Washington. The last Democrat to win without carrying Washington was Jimmy Carter in 1976 — back when geographical politics were far different than they are today. Al Gore beat George Bush convincingly in Washington in 2000, when he narrowly “lost” the national election by the smallest of margins.
If Washington is a toss-up at best for Clinton, then I can’t possibly see Clinton being electable nationwide.
Go out Saturday and caucus for Obama!
Ah shoot Richard. Gotta think about that. I was abstaining from the caucus. Voted Edwards on my Primary absentee as a protest for the way he was treated.
My two Sisters in Phoenix (one switched from Rep to Dem even) voted for Obama and then were upset to find Clinton carried their state. It’s 6 of one, 1/2 dozen of another. I don’t like EITHER of the candidates better than the other.
BUT! I will think about what you say, okay? Thx for the input.
‘I suppose one could use this as an example of the government being both inefficient and incompetent—’
How do you explain Mrs. Gregoires 33% increase in spending then? Not to mention multiple various other fuck-ups by her and her merry band of tax-and-spenders. (After the “I won’t raise taxes” campaign and election stealing)??!!
Your audacity is amusing I must say there Darryl. Truth bit you in the pocketbook. How does it feel?
@19: Mark moron:
Governor Gregoire is fulfilling the mission of the state in a fically responsible way:
Education.
And we have had a state budget surplus, an economy that is better than almost every other state in the country and high population growth over the last 4 years. Not to mention a reserve fund at record high levels. Despite having a terrible tax structure that is regressive – the sales tax.
Much better than the huge record deficits run up by the Republicans nationally and the wasteful spending and no-bid contracts of the pentagon. Not to mention the tax cuts for the rich and on capital gains (so the stock manipulators who do no actual work can pay no taxes on their non-work).
that would be fiscally
the biggest waste of money for our whole country has been this unnessary Iraq war drummed up by the bush administration and supported by republicans.
It has killed 4,000 soldiers, sunk our economy and ruined our reputation in the world while making us less safe and preventing us from going after the real crimianls of 9/11, Al qaeda.
On Topic:
A couple of years ago I got my natural gas bill. Funny, it was lower than I expected. But not so much as to make me want to undertake an investigation of any sort. After all, we get that bill every two months, and by the time we get the bill it’s hard to remember what might have driven the usage up or down by 15% or so, for activity occuring two or three month’s previously.
Then the next bill, it showed – no usage at all. We have a natural gas hot water heater, so I knew that wasn’t right. I call the company, they say they will check on it.
Then a week later I receive a “corrected” bill, explaining that my meter was found to be faulty and would be replaced, and that they were billing me for my “estimated” usage, which by then was about twice my normal usage. I called them back and pointed out that it was their equipment which failed, I had pointed out the mistake to them, and that their estimate was way out of whack. They agreed to eliminate the “estimated” charge, essentially giving me a couple of months of fee gas. I’m satisfied, obviously. They say someone will be out to replace the meter next week, they will call us with a specific day.
Then one morning the next week, I get up and take my shower, or tried to. No hot water. I go downstairs to check, and the pilot light is out, and it can’t be reset. I check our gas fireplaces, and those pilot lights are out, too, and can’t be re-lit. I call the natural gas company. They explain that they replaced our meter the day before, but since no one was at home, they couldn’t turn on the gas. Something about a safety switch. When can they come out and turn on the switch? They will set up an appointment. Can we be home between 8:00 a.m. and noon on Thursday, three weeks from now????
We did manage to get the gas back on, two days later. But I think next time I won’t call them to report the problem.
In Pierce County, there has been an eleven-dollar charge on our bi-monthly power bills for something like 7 years. This surcharge was to help pay for the drought we were in the middle of back in 2001.
In case anybody hasn’t noticed, it has been raining/snowing like hell for the past several years, yet the $11 is still part of the bill. Pierce County utility folks must have gone to school with the same people that run the utilities in Redmond.
off topic but……..
my next prediction? mitt romney will drop out of the GOP race today………
#3 Roger Rabbit says:
What??? The democrats have been in charge of congress for over a year now and they still haven’t fixed that?
Ah, starts out with a rant about water meters, then thread starters rants about Iraq. You lib-tards are all the same, never any focus.
Mitt Romney is dropping out and will announce this in a few minutes.
I suppose one could use this as an example of the government being both inefficient and incompetent—you know…the way certain uninformed and hypocritical Wingnuts do in the comment threads all the time. In the big scheme of things my Redmond Water Utility experience is a drop of water in an ocean of government inefficiency and incompetence.
So rather than explore why a public water company has less reason to be accountable than a private water company, you just dismiss is as less incompetence than other bureaucracy. Great. I guess it’s all good when it represents and increase in Statism. That’s just a good Progressive outcome, right!
Mitt Romney is dropping out and will announce this in a few minutes.
There’s got to be some way to keep him in so these crooks can keep eating each other!
It’s been so entertaining!
#13 Darryl says:
Ever compare the number of soldiers killed in war to the number of blacks killed on the streets of the United States, mostly in cities under democrat control?
Didn’t think so, that wouldn’t be something a democrat would do. Can’t blame a racist republican for the lack of action and caring by a democrat.
@25:
You’re right, for once.
#13 Darryl says:
Good one. The inefficient and incompetent government screw up annoyed you enough to write a post about it yet you think only uninformed/hypocritical wingnuts complain.
Which are you, the pot or the kettle?
FreedomLover,
“Ah, starts out with a rant about water meters, then thread starters rants about Iraq. You lib-tards are all the same, never any focus.”
Sorry chump…the POST was about the Iraq war. I realize you wingdings have a short attention span, but you have go all the way with the post to get to its real meaning.
Sheesh…you’re like fucking children….
FreedomLover
Freedom to keep cheating, thieving and lying:
http://www.politico.com/news/s...../8349.html
Herald,
“So rather than explore why a public water company has less reason to be accountable than a private water company, you just dismiss is as less incompetence than other bureaucracy.”
I’m not sure what you are babbling about here, since I made no comparisons or comments to a private company. The post was about the Iraq war.
the way certain uninformed and hypocritical Wingnuts do in the comment threads all the time.
Hypocrisy – most def.
Uninformed – Oh they’re informed all right. They read and watch every piece of right wing bullshit pulled from the asses of the thieves, liars, greedheads and psychophants of their corrupt ugly party.
Marvin Stamn,
“Ever compare the number of soldiers killed in war to the number of blacks killed on the streets of the United States, mostly in cities under democrat control?”
This is a simpleton’s response. If the governments of our cities are going out and slaughtering innocent people in the streets (as our government has been doing in Iraq), you might have a point.
Your insinuation that urban violence is somehow under the control of Democrats (or any other political party) betrays a childish ignorance of sociology and criminology.
“Didn’t think so, that wouldn’t be something a democrat would do. Can’t blame a racist republican for the lack of action and caring by a democrat.”
What are you babbling about?
Mit Romney takes one for the team (i.e., the anti-McCain neo-cons who still control the Republican Party):
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23050678/
Now the anti-McCain vote will no longer be split between Romney and Huckabee.
But MSNBC is saying that it pretty much concedes the nomination to McCain. Apparantly they don’t feel that Romney supporters will flock to Huckabee? Or maybe the Romney withdrawal is part of a deal for the V.P. nod?
@26: Moron marvin: the democrats are NOT in control of congress – and that is the problem. They need 60 votes to overcome republican obstructionists allied with the disgraced bush – now when we throw more of the republican incompetent-bush supporters out – then we will be in charge.
39 – Interesting. Either way it’s a loser for the neo-nutcakes. They can’t stand Huckabee and yet they need the religious base.
They’ve written off the religious base or they’re prepared to do some kind of hard sell. Have they cooked up a new wedge issue to insert on the ballot this fall?
The neo-cons and the greedheads (lots of overlap there) have probably made the best call they can make under the circumstances.
They’re going with greed – that’s their highest calling. They know they’re screwed so they’ll do their best to buy this election.
McCain – Romney 2008 / The Greed Ticket
Tlazolteotl ……right for once? i see you haven’t been paying attention at all…what a surprise!
#38 Darryl says:
Missed the point didn’t you. If you were black, you would be safer fighting in Iraq than living in a city with democrat leaders. Sucks to be black in America doesn’t it.
Marvin Stamn,
“Missed the point didn’t you. If you were black, you would be safer fighting in Iraq than living in a city with democrat leaders. Sucks to be black in America doesn’t it.”
No…I didn’t miss the point…I was just pointing out that it is idiotic. First of all the statement “If you were black, you would be safer fighting in Iraq than living in a city” is factually incorrect.
Secondly, you are committing the simpleton’s error of confusing correlation with causation. The political party in control of cities is irrelevant. Crime rates are higher anywhere in the world (i.e. places where there are no Democrats or Republicans) where humans live at high density relative to low-density settlements–regardless of anything political. By your own erroneous logic, you might also claim that electing a black mayor leads to higher crime, since nine of the top ten highest crime rate cities have an African American mayor. (That would also be an example of confusing correlation with causation.)
But, why is it relevant that it is “safer fighting in Iraq that living in [some parts of some large] cit[ies]”? Death by accidents has three times the risk than does death by homicide. So you might as well have made the equally absurd statement, “it okay that Bush’s military misadventurism has lead to the deaths of 4,000 Americans, hundreds of thousands of Iraqi, and cost Americans half TRILLION dollars, because even more Americans die each year in traffic accidents.”
Either way it is put, your argument is absurd.
@44…Darryl…
“Crime rates are higher anywhere in the world (i.e. places where there are no Democrats or Republicans) where humans live at high density relative to low-density settlements–regardless of anything political.”
Next time someone touts high-density urban living as the way to go and the model that should dictate transportation planning (read light rail), I’ll trot out what you said.
Talk all the correlation/causation dichotomy B.S. you want, but the fact of the matter is that so many urban mayors refuse to address the ISSUE of urban crime in a results oriented manner. Take the case of Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick who’s engaged in enough of it all on his own.
BTW…any idea what the average tab per household, adjusted for inflation of course, for WW II was?
I always hear how you’re against stuff, but I don’t hear much in the way of what are your alternative plans and policies. Or do you think the whole Iraq/War on Terror thing is a total fake and that nothing should be done.
The Piper
Piper & Marvin: I bet Darryl is one of those Landing on the Moon Truthers!
Snicker snicker
All you have to do is determine the number of blacks in the military population in Iraq, normalize that to the number of blacks in a large city, determine the number killed in each location for a year and either Marvin is right or Darryl is right.
I have no dog in this fight so go forth and see whom is correct.
Marvin, maybe Obama will have free healthcare and free
ammo programs for blacks. Have you seen the rising cost of
ammo?