Resident: ‘Crooks without guns’ hiking water bills, avoiding questions
By George P. Hassett

The city’s water department this week instituted new policies to ensure accurate water bills for local homeowners. But for some residents, using water in Somerville is becoming a hassle and a luxury they can not afford.
    ‚ÄúThese guys are crooks without guns,‚Äù said Robert DeLuca of Medford St., who said he received an incorrect water bill last week. ‚ÄúThe last bill I got was three times what I usually get. You‚Äôre telling me I‚Äôve been using that much more water lately? Naturally this kind of thing hurts me. If I go to the store and buy a $1 loaf of bread, I don‚Äôt want to pay $6.‚Äù

     Beginning last year, extremely high and erratic water bills have been issued to local residents, resulting in personnel changes in the water department and the re-calling of bills for certain neighborhoods.
    The latest bills have shown little improvement from previous ones, said Alderman-at-Large Denise Provost at a March 9 board of alderman meeting.
   ‚ÄúAs soon as I was confident that the problems in the water department had been solved, they started all over again,‚Äù she said at the meeting. ‚ÄúMany of the bills have been absurd. A woman in a one family home received one water bill for $13,159. When she called the water department, she was told, ‚ÄòDon‚Äôt worry we have a payment plan.‚Äô What I‚Äôm hearing is residents can‚Äôt get calls back and are being told the only option is a payment plan and nothing about options for appeals.‚Äù
   DeLuca said the water department offered little help with questions he had about his bill.
   ‚ÄúI tried to go talk to somebody about this at the water department and they gave me the run around,‚Äù said DeLuca. ‚ÄúFinally, when I told them I needed a straight answer the person there said, ‚ÄòI don‚Äôt know what to tell you. I guess you‚Äôre out of luck. What kind of answer is that?‚Äù
   DeLuca said one water department employee told him his bill was due to a statewide increase by the Massachusetts Water Resource Authority (MWRA). But Ria Converoy, a spokesperson for the MWRA, said the organization had not issued any recent increases. 
   In a statement released Monday, city officials said a standardized 120-day billing period for all water bills would eliminate future confusion. Water and Sewer Superintendent Carol Antonelli said the billing system had been neglected for years and the current administration is using improved technology and more efficient billing practices to ensure less confusion for residents.
But for many in the city, the problems remain.
   ‚ÄúThey‚Äôre driving people out of Somerville,‚Äù said a neighbor of DeLuca‚Äôs. ‚ÄúI‚Äôm going to lose my tenants because of this. They‚Äôre doing projects to beautify the city, but I can‚Äôt even wash my front steps because I‚Äôm afraid to turn my water on. The worst part is, we can‚Äôt get a straight answer out of anybody.‚Äù