North Lamar Water

[Tully Mars]

Isn't North Lamar the one that has been issuing sprinkler and car washing bans lately?

[Conveyor Belt]

jeez, louise... $800 water bill? Sounds like they never read the meters and finally got out to read them... oy!

[MC69TA]

Mine was double.

[Kitty]

My bill went from an average of $40 per month to $180 this month. We actually watered our lawn less in July than in June due to the rain we got in July.

My neighbor's bill was $200. Across the street folks had a bill of $210. A friend from church who had North Lamar had a bill of over $800.

Anyone else who uses North Lamar seen a huge jump in their bill?
Yes, our bill went from $24 last month to $66 this month. Like you, we watered our lawn less due to the rain we've been getting.

[citygirl]

Doc,
On last months bill, stamped in red ink, there was a notice of a $1 increase per gallon on next months bill. Mine doubled too. I have my bill right in front of me and my usage in gallons is twice what it was in the same period last year.

But gosh, you guys with these high water bills are scaring me. I have a 2 bedroom, 1 bath house. Hopefully in the next year or so I will graduate up. Right now my water bill is $12. It used to run anywhere from $5-9.

[IGID]

Did they send some KY and some wet-naps with that bill?

[58ford]

I suggest covertly digging a well in your back yard.
This is illegal, but the local govt. monopoly on water service coupled with price gouging for a life sustaining utility should be illegal too!
So, hop to it you would be Robin Hood's & hydrate to you hearts content.
Try here. http://www.motherearthnews.com/library/1970_July_August/You_Can_Drive_Your_Own_Well_reprinted_from_a_1970_ Popular_Mechanics

[MSQueen]

I suggest covertly digging a well in your back yard.
This is illegal, but the local govt. monopoly on water service coupled with price gouging for a life sustaining utility should be illegal too!
So, hop to it you would be Robin Hood's & hydrate to you hearts content.
Try here. http://www.motherearthnews.com/library/1970_July_August/You_Can_Drive_Your_Own_Well_reprinted_from_a_1970_ Popular_Mechanics

why is it illegal?? :peek: :paperbag: :raisedeye :shh:

[58ford]

why is it illegal?? :peek: :paperbag: :raisedeye :shh:
It, suposedly, can lead to ground water contamination because Fertilizer, oil gas, sewage, etc. can enter the water table by seeping down the well shaft.
Personally I think it's to protect the municipal monopoly.
laws vary from area to area.

[58ford]

Also, you still use their sewer system unless you have a septic tank.

[Seeking Answers]

I know this thread is about North Lamar but I just wanted to mention that West Lamar Water also seems to be jerking its folks around too. Just got a card in the mail earlier in the week that informed us that rates would be going up again. We seem to be paying for everyone else discovering our little piece of the county...

[Booshay]

Now which is worse.....water for $350 bucks a month from North Lamar or brown crunchy water for $20 bucks from Hattiesburg....for the $330 dollars difference, I'll take my chances. :smt118

[ynotme297]

looks like petal's water costs are not so bad after all. i'll bet they would really be throwing a fit if it were them.

[Bee Line]

A $1 per GALLON increase? No wonder you have a water bill of $200-$800. Talk about EXPENSIVE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:smt119

[SoMissTV]

Everyone keeps talking about the horrible water in Hattiesburg. My water is, and always has been, clean and clear. I live in south Hattiesburg.

[wilebill]

My water's good and plentiful, too. Matter of fact, we have so much water that I generally just turn on the outside faucets several times a week and just let them run all day to water my lawn. $29 bill.

[Bee Line]

I believe it was actually $1 per 1000 gallons. Sorry for the confusion. THAT's easier to understand. Thanks for the clarification.

[MrPaulB007]

My water's good and plentiful, too. Matter of fact, we have so much water that I generally just turn on the outside faucets several times a week and just let them run all day to water my lawn. $29 bill.

Sounds like the promised land, especially with the heat index over 100! My favorite rebellion thing I do in my house is leave the front door open so I can cool the neighborhood...I always call Mamma when I do that. It keeps her young and makes me feel not so old!

North Lamar may be developing a city...be aware people! Seriously, the meter reader may have had magnifying glasses on and the numbers appeared too large or he was having a stroke in this heat.

I think for about two hundred dollars per meter, they can install meters that emit a signal to a reciever mounted in their truck so the meter man can't make mistakes. With this installation, there would be no readers getting snake bit, or road hazzard conditions. Or freaky meter readers eyeing your kids and house.

They just ride along, at whatever speed, and the reciever is loaded with the readings from every house! Ain't that swooft! The man hours would be cut to nothing...but some people hate change.

If y'all need to know about this, for the meeting. If this fails, screw a "No Trespassing" sign down on the meter box...afer all, it is your yard!

[citygirl]

.... $1 increase per gallon on next months bill....

[OUOTE=The Doc]
I believe it was actually $1 per 1000 gallons. Sorry for the confusion.[/QUOTE]

Thanks, Doc for correcting my "blonde" moment.

[carsalesguy]

talked to the guy at arnold line today....he said that they have gone nuts over there. also remember him saying something to the extent that if they would have done the same thing, then everyone would be after him to kill him

asked him what would be up with the sky high bills....said he could not get a clear answer himself.....

growing up in hattiesburg (off 40th ave, lamar county side) the water was never bad. but i am starting to wonder about the ward 4 water......filled up a clear water bottle today from the water fountain at work, and it was slightly tinted brown.......starting to wonder.......

[bb1952]

Our water bill was $156.00 for 61500 gallons. The only problem is we don't even live at that property. Just think that the increase of $1.00 per thousand is a 50% increase. Wow! This water assn. has about 4300 members and I've heard has quite a large sum of money on hand. Enough to pay outright for a new water tower. This increase wasn't necessary. A dollar doesn't sound like a lot until you consider that if they take in $2 million per year they will now get $3 million.
Plan to attend the meeting on Sept. 11 at 5:30 at the North Lamar Water office to ask for reversal of the rate increase. If you want to speak you must be listed on the agenda and must notify the office no later than Friday, Sept. 8.
When I paid my bill this week, I deducted the $1.00 extra charge because the meters were not actually read since mid-May until they were read on July 27. The bill received between those dates was an estimated usage. The board didn't vote the increase in until June 12 but went back to May and charged us the increased amt. How do they know how much of our water was used on the lower rate and what should have been at the higher rate.
If you want to dispute your bill you must write a letter to the Board and drop it at the office or mail it before the next board meeting.

[Maggie-Doodle]

The water at my house is great...but when I was still working at the p.d. it was nasty...brown and stinky...of course over there it could have just been the pipes...we never drank it though...we took bottles of water. Not only would it be brown but it would have little things floating around in it!

[Kitty]

It appears that the North Lamar Water Association is offering to discuss a compromise (http://www.hattiesburgamerican.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060830/NEWS01/608300301/1002) on the dramatically high August water bills.

[bb1952]

Yes, North Lamar Water will do something about the bill only if you contact them disputing your bill. They are offering to use your August 2005 bill and you pay $3.00 (new rate) per 1000 gallons you used on that bill and they will forgive the August 2006 bill. But, you must call them or go by in order to have this done. In my case, on my last years bill I was billed $6.00 and now will owe $9.00 instead of the 185.00 they charged me August 2006. Mine has been taken care of.

Still this doesn't solve the 50% increase (from $2.00 to 3.00 ) when they have about $700,000.00 on hand. This is a water company in the black and not operating in the red. They did not need a increase of this size. This is a big matter that needs to be addressed and the only way is get people to go to the meeting 9/11 at the water department office at 5:30. This is a not for profit organization that will be taking in about $1 million dollars more a year and adding that to the cash on hand already which makes quite a reserve. It just wasn't a necessary increase.

[Maggie-Doodle]

I am glad you guys got your bills reduced. It just goes to prove the old addage "the squeeky wheel gets the grease!" Those kinds of bills are unreal!

[Kitty]

Did anyone make the North Lamar Water Association meeting tonight? If so, please post a summary for those of us who could not attend.

[ACEsmom]

Guess living in a trailer park has it benefits -- we don't pay a water bill -- can bathe as much as we want LOL -- then on the downside - we can't have a pool :(

[noway]

"Guess living in a trailer park has it benefits" -- we don't pay a water bill -- can bathe as much as we want LOL -- then on the downside - we can't have a pool :(

lol!!!!