Unhappy with bill for water and sewer

PHOTOGRAPHER: Letters to the Editor

Recently I sold a house located in the town of Niskayuna in Water and Sewer Zone 6. In order to sell this house, I needed to contact the Niskayuna Water and Sewer Department to get a final meter reading so I could pay the new owner what I had used since my last bill. I thought the bill would be pretty modest. I had paid the bill for water and sewer on May 2 in the amount of $80 for 84 gallons of water used. My closing was being held on May 11.

I called the Water Department on May 10 and the Water Department employee assured me they would fax this information to my lawyer. I was thus surprised the next day when I got to the closing and this information had not been sent. I then called the Water Department and was told the employee who handles such matters had left for the day. I explained that I was at the closing on this home and the person I spoke to said she would see what she could do. During the closing, this information was received via fax. You can imagine my surprise when I discovered I was being charged $50 for use of 54 gallons of water and $30 for sewer usage, which I guess is the minimum charge in this zone. I also received a $25 charge for generating the letter, for a total cost of $105. In my mind this is highway robbery because the new house owner will also be charged $80 at a minimum. Thus, the town will be getting paid by both of us for the same period.

Thomas McGarry

Niskayuna