- Report: #188389
Complaint Review: Aqua Texas
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| Aqua Texas aquasource.com
Spring, Texas U.S.A. |
|
Aqua Texas This water company charges $76.00 per month just for the priviledge of having water and sewer available. Spring Texas
*Consumer Comment: Information to help you with this
*Consumer Comment: THE NEW RATES OF AQUA TX - $140 to $180 a month
*Consumer Comment: Aqua Texas Under State Investigation
*Consumer Comment: WHOA!! for WATER?!?!
*Consumer Comment: WHOA!! for WATER?!?!
*Consumer Comment: Inspection water usage?
*General Comment: Thats About Right
*Consumer Comment: old water company bought by aquasource
*Consumer Comment: I Understand
*UPDATE EX-employee responds: Big Business
*Author of original report: UPdate on Aqua Texas Water Company
*Consumer Comment: Okay, it's pretty steep
*Author of original report: Response to Report
*Consumer Comment: That's Not Bad
*Consumer Comment: Curious
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This water company is part of Aquasource out of PA. They charge our subdivision of 167 homes, $76.00 per month per home, just for the priviledge of having water and sewer available. Your bill also includes fees that Aqua Texas has to pay to their lawyers and to the TQEC for requesting their yearly rate increase. Without using a drop of water or flushing a toilet, our bill is $76.00 per month. Once you start using water, the cost is about $ 2.50 per 1000 gallons. This rate and the initial monthly rates can be increase each year and there is nothing the homeowners can do. This is an absolute rip-off of everyone that is forced to use this company. There have been lawsuits in other cities, but no one has ever heard of the outcome of the trials.
Wayne
Montgomery, Texas
U.S.A.
Wayne
Montgomery, Texas
U.S.A.
This report was posted on Ripoff Report on 04/24/2006 07:55 PM and is a permanent record located here: http://www.ripoffreport.com/r/Aqua-Texas/Spring-Texas/Aqua-Texas-This-water-company-charges-7600-per-month-just-for-the-priviledge-of-having-w-188389. The posting time indicated is Arizona local time. Arizona does not observe daylight savings so the post time may be Mountain or Pacific depending on the time of year.
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Search Tips#1 Consumer Comment
Information to help you with this
AUTHOR: auburne - (United States of America)
SUBMITTED: Wednesday, February 13, 2013
contact the Texas Commission on Envirnmental Quality at 512-339-2929 or 512-239-2578 ask for Ms. Margarita Dennis. They are already under two different investigations. This company needs to be shut down but Aqua customers everywhere need to ban together. Get a petition signed in your community and submit that to the commission. It works I have had them placed under court order for over two years and when and if it gets lifted I will make sure it happens again. Trust me. They are only out for the money, not the customer.
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What's this? #2 Consumer Comment
THE NEW RATES OF AQUA TX - $140 to $180 a month
AUTHOR: HillCountry - (United States of America)
SUBMITTED: Tuesday, February 12, 2013
Since there are updates being posted to this website, I will join in. For those of you who have complained about water and sewer by Aqua Texas, let me update you. I have lived here 4 years in the TX Hill Country and during that time my water bill from Aqua Texas has ranged from $140 to $180 a month. I live in a 1700 sq ft house, most of the time only one person is here, for about 4 months of the year two people in their mid 50s. It was a new house when I moved in, but a 35 yr old neighborhood. The minimum I have ever been charged is $139 and that is when I have been out of town for nearly the whole month. That is the minimum Aqua Texas charges here for simply being hooked up, water and sewer. In my area there is no lower rate for less usage.
Every September they raise my bill to $180 and claim that I "must have a leak" and then the next month it goes back to the $140 to $150 amount. I did not water any outdoor areas at all, gave up on all planting and landscaping for the couple of years. Did not make one bit of difference. They have no need to read a meter, they have a set amount they have decided to charge and the homeowner must pay it.
A survey went out in which 95% of the people ripped them for being crooks and giving no service such as improving all the leaking water mains in this area. Did it make a bit of difference? No. At the time the survey was sent to homeowners to fill out, they reduced my water bill for the next two months from $149 to $139, I noticed. Then it has gone back up since then. I suspect there have been millions in payoffs along the way to allow this company from Pennsylvania to come in and call themselves "Aqua Texas".
OH, and by the way, they were just allowed to raise their rates in the last year, in case that fact got by you. During the drought they tried to get water from a nearby town instead of repairing all the water mains around here that have been know to be leaking for years. The other town told them no. SO, my friends, that is the update. If Aqua Texas is still charging you under $100, count yourself lucky. No lawsuits are going to have any effect. AquaTexas has the money to fight it every step of the way, and plenty of politicians in their pocket.
Every September they raise my bill to $180 and claim that I "must have a leak" and then the next month it goes back to the $140 to $150 amount. I did not water any outdoor areas at all, gave up on all planting and landscaping for the couple of years. Did not make one bit of difference. They have no need to read a meter, they have a set amount they have decided to charge and the homeowner must pay it.
A survey went out in which 95% of the people ripped them for being crooks and giving no service such as improving all the leaking water mains in this area. Did it make a bit of difference? No. At the time the survey was sent to homeowners to fill out, they reduced my water bill for the next two months from $149 to $139, I noticed. Then it has gone back up since then. I suspect there have been millions in payoffs along the way to allow this company from Pennsylvania to come in and call themselves "Aqua Texas".
OH, and by the way, they were just allowed to raise their rates in the last year, in case that fact got by you. During the drought they tried to get water from a nearby town instead of repairing all the water mains around here that have been know to be leaking for years. The other town told them no. SO, my friends, that is the update. If Aqua Texas is still charging you under $100, count yourself lucky. No lawsuits are going to have any effect. AquaTexas has the money to fight it every step of the way, and plenty of politicians in their pocket.
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What's this? #3 Consumer Comment
Aqua Texas Under State Investigation
AUTHOR: auburne - (United States of America)
SUBMITTED: Sunday, February 03, 2013
If you have Aqua Texas contact the Texas Commission on Envirnmental Quality at 512-339-2929 or 512-239-2578 ask for Ms. Margarita Dennis. They are currently under investigation and have a court case against them. My water bill is so high it is unreal, but to top that off they shut off the water and never notify us which is illegal, therefore everytime my water is off and we do not get a call, I report them. Also when they shut off the water and turn it back on they are to call everyone and tell them to boil until it is clear and if they do not it is a violation and I report them. I want this company out of business. They are theifs, liars and provide horriable service.
If everyone that has their service calls and reports them, then we might succeed in getting them out of business.
Please Report them, often and regualarly.
If everyone that has their service calls and reports them, then we might succeed in getting them out of business.
Please Report them, often and regualarly.
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What's this? #4 Consumer Comment
WHOA!! for WATER?!?!
AUTHOR: ashlybee - (United States of America)
SUBMITTED: Friday, January 18, 2013
I know that previous repliers have said they have seen it be more but whoo doggies... I built a brand new home in a brand new subdivision. Roughly 1,500 sq ft home, myself and my daughter with regular watering was no more than 40-50 bucks a month. Maybe 60 during the 100+ degree summer. I never gripped about that in fact thought that was normal. Our water was provided, treated and billed through the city though. I guess I am uneducated on the matter but is this a contracted company or something. My goodness.
I will agree with the poster that said he owned his own well. I moved back out to the country and now own my well. He is correct when he says that drilling for new water is 35$ a foot. I worry because many of the people in the neighboring county have gone dry completley and we have our water through the same aquifer. Now there is one below that one but the cost of drilling that deep is almost so astronomical no one can afford it.
I know that the post is a few months old but I just could not beleive that price, and then as I read it went up. The whole sewage fee thing is forgien to me as well. In the city we had a rate on gallons of water, a flat 9 bucks for sweage and 3 for trash (which by the way I now pay well over 85 a month for) How do you measure sewage?
I will agree with the poster that said he owned his own well. I moved back out to the country and now own my well. He is correct when he says that drilling for new water is 35$ a foot. I worry because many of the people in the neighboring county have gone dry completley and we have our water through the same aquifer. Now there is one below that one but the cost of drilling that deep is almost so astronomical no one can afford it.
I know that the post is a few months old but I just could not beleive that price, and then as I read it went up. The whole sewage fee thing is forgien to me as well. In the city we had a rate on gallons of water, a flat 9 bucks for sweage and 3 for trash (which by the way I now pay well over 85 a month for) How do you measure sewage?
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What's this? #5 Consumer Comment
WHOA!! for WATER?!?!
AUTHOR: ashlybee - (United States of America)
SUBMITTED: Friday, January 18, 2013
I know that previous repliers have said they have seen it be more but whoo doggies... I built a brand new home in a brand new subdivision. Roughly 1,500 sq ft home, myself and my daughter with regular watering was no more than 40-50 bucks a month. Maybe 60 during the 100+ degree summer. I never gripped about that in fact thought that was normal. Our water was provided, treated and billed through the city though. I guess I am uneducated on the matter but is this a contracted company or something. My goodness.
I will agree with the poster that said he owned his own well. I moved back out to the country and now own my well. He is correct when he says that drilling for new water is 35$ a foot. I worry because many of the people in the neighboring county have gone dry completley and we have our water through the same aquifer. Now there is one below that one but the cost of drilling that deep is almost so astronomical no one can afford it.
I know that the post is a few months old but I just could not beleive that price, and then as I read it went up. The whole sewage fee thing is forgien to me as well. In the city we had a rate on gallons of water, a flat 9 bucks for sweage and 3 for trash (which by the way I now pay well over 85 a month for) How do you measure sewage?
I will agree with the poster that said he owned his own well. I moved back out to the country and now own my well. He is correct when he says that drilling for new water is 35$ a foot. I worry because many of the people in the neighboring county have gone dry completley and we have our water through the same aquifer. Now there is one below that one but the cost of drilling that deep is almost so astronomical no one can afford it.
I know that the post is a few months old but I just could not beleive that price, and then as I read it went up. The whole sewage fee thing is forgien to me as well. In the city we had a rate on gallons of water, a flat 9 bucks for sweage and 3 for trash (which by the way I now pay well over 85 a month for) How do you measure sewage?
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What's this? #6 Consumer Comment
Inspection water usage?
AUTHOR: Walt - (United States of America)
SUBMITTED: Wednesday, November 21, 2012
Just a thought, but your water usage may be due to using water during the home inspection. If it's a new home, it's possible that the water usage was from filling of the lines, but I'm not sure of the timeline for doing that. The contractor should have turned water on in the home to test for leaks, afterwards service would be transferred to your name and the lines would have water in them.
Whenever I move into a home, I run the water from all faucets for awhile to make sure the lines are well flushed, so I end up using a ton of water for a bit.
I just bought a house that appears to be service by Aqua Texas, but the house already has a well, so I'm researching them a bit before I take on the payments for the meter. Sounds like I need to dump the meter and keep using well water.
Whenever I move into a home, I run the water from all faucets for awhile to make sure the lines are well flushed, so I end up using a ton of water for a bit.
I just bought a house that appears to be service by Aqua Texas, but the house already has a well, so I'm researching them a bit before I take on the payments for the meter. Sounds like I need to dump the meter and keep using well water.
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What's this? #7 General Comment
Thats About Right
AUTHOR: Sean - (United States of America)
SUBMITTED: Wednesday, August 22, 2012
I understand the frustration with paying for water that isnt being used but in reality it is being used. I work for a seperate water company but deal with this all the time. 150-300 gallons is standard depending on the size of lines to your house and size of house. You didnt use that water at the time you were billed but that is the water that filled your pipes once it was turned on. Its weird to think of the pipes filling up that much but if you really look at the amount thats about all it takes to fill up every line from toilets filling up and lines getting full for more pressure. You didnt use it at that moment but onc the curb stop was turned to allow water to flow through your meter that water was going to be used. Hope that kinda answered your question/ complaint.
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What's this? #8 Consumer Comment
old water company bought by aquasource
AUTHOR: Charlie - (United States of America)
SUBMITTED: Wednesday, August 03, 2011
I have lived in my house since 1988. It is a approximately 100 meter water system. Aquasource has a free run on our rate. The bs about the rate increase for our system was it went through without a hitch. A lot of the users filled a complaint or so they said, and we never heard anything. I helped put the original crooked owner out of business and we went through a few new owners all of whom just took the money and kept the system on par with where it started. Aqua source has done a small improvement, added a tank, but nothing to amount to the continued price increases. This is what our political system has allowed through the good ole boy stuff in politics. Our water has never been even close to safe. We go through rationing every year and the service guys give the excuse that it's ok. I live at the highest elevation and always experience low water supply pressure. In june my water bill was 368.00 it will be much more in july and august. My yard is gone. I am trying to keep my big oaks around the house alive. I do not have a sprinkler system as I neve thought the pressure would support one. I didn't water in the winter and the freeze we had helped to kill my grass. We have been short of rainfall since last september. We also have a new deal about drilling your own ground water well to protect the water suppliers. It's all in the politics in texas and where the money is really going. They wealthy are going to get richer. My electric provider is a consumer owned provider and it is great, the water could be the same. Why do you think aquasource is not in this state or locally owned? The water commission is just people in a bureacracy making good money to push paper.
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What's this?
I recently purchased a home in the Montgomery area in an established neighborhood (older than 4 yrs) And just received my 1st bill, OMG I was charged a turn on fee of 45.00 for water and a 45.00 turn on fee for sewage, How do you turn on sewage?? In addition I did not live in the residence for the 1st month of billing and was charged for 200 gallons of water, How does that work? And no there are no leaks, had that checked. In addition when I called Aqua Texas to advise I wanted my Meter rechecked, I was told that their meter readers dont make mistakes that the problems are with all of their customers. Hmmm. Ive filed with the FCC that regulates the water companies, I hope that this will help, and I also see that the state of Texas Is ?? their billing practices, Hope something positive comes out of this, My next complaint will be with Our local rep. and Gov Perry (may be useless but worth a try).
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What's this? #10 UPDATE EX-employee responds
Big Business
AUTHOR: Whoknows - (U.S.A.)
SUBMITTED: Tuesday, November 27, 2007
The reason why you are paying anything before you use a drop of water is because Aqua is trying to recoup cost of putting in lines in these mom and pop water systems they have bought. What people dont understand is that this company is buying up smaller companies and are able to justify raising rates as plans to replace or install new wells or lines which will take years to actually put into the budget. I know $90 is a lot but there are some people whom are paying min of $200 before using any of the services. This company is concerned about making money and nothing else.
Last year this company starting cutting cost by eliminating their call center in Austin Texas to a call center in New Jersey where the employees are there to take complaints along with Aqua Americas other millions of customers. At least we were able to assist those who were seriously trying to get help with their bills. It wasnt until later that year we were told in order to hit quarterly goals no payment plans were to be extended and several people where being disconnect for being just one month late. My advice is if you live in an area that has Aqua Texas or is going to be bought by Aqua America .....MOVE!
Last year this company starting cutting cost by eliminating their call center in Austin Texas to a call center in New Jersey where the employees are there to take complaints along with Aqua Americas other millions of customers. At least we were able to assist those who were seriously trying to get help with their bills. It wasnt until later that year we were told in order to hit quarterly goals no payment plans were to be extended and several people where being disconnect for being just one month late. My advice is if you live in an area that has Aqua Texas or is going to be bought by Aqua America .....MOVE!
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What's this? #11 Author of original report
UPdate on Aqua Texas Water Company
AUTHOR: Ray - (U.S.A.)
SUBMITTED: Monday, August 06, 2007
As of this month, our water service is now $90.00 per month before we use a drop of water. It will keep going up due to the fact that there are no laws to prevent this kind of company from charging anything they want.
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What's this? #12 Consumer Comment
Okay, it's pretty steep
AUTHOR: Robert - (U.S.A.)
SUBMITTED: Tuesday, April 25, 2006
My water bill in NC is $5/month if I use none. I have a septic tank.
In FL, my average bill is $10 at my shop(with septic also), and $20 at the house, with sewer.
You're getting robbed.
In FL, my average bill is $10 at my shop(with septic also), and $20 at the house, with sewer.
You're getting robbed.
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What's this? #13 Author of original report
Response to Report
AUTHOR: Ray - (U.S.A.)
SUBMITTED: Tuesday, April 25, 2006
What both of the rebuttals said is good with exceptions. First the subdivision is about 5 years old. The water and sewer lines have been paid for long ago. The water company has everything on site in the subdivision. The price just keeps going up every year with no way to stop it. Second, the individual said that $75 to $100 for 14,000gals is normal, well 14,000 gals here will run over $100. I realize that water and sewer services are expensive, but the fact that the consumers have no say in the rates in what hurts. I still believe that this company is ripping-off all of its customers state wide.
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What's this?
$76 per month isn't bad considering all the other prices some people are paying. Look at the alternatives. Here in San Antonio(city) the people pay about $75 to $100 for the first 14,000 gallons. That include sewage. After that it doubles to $200+ for 28,000 gallons, then doubles again to around $500 for 42,000 gallons. You get stuck for all kinds of fees having nothing to do with water useage. Now I'm not exactly sure on those figure because that was a few years ago and I live in the country and have my own well. When it comes to my own well ans septic system, 12 years ago it was $10 A FOOT to drill my well. 650ft@$10=$6500+ another $3500 for the septic system. $10,000 UP FRONT, IN CASH. Now, after seven years the pump died and had to be replaced at $2500. That comes to appox. $30 per month just for the pump to be replaced. Pumps can last from five to ten years. After 10 years I had to have the septic tank pumped out at $350. Since it's only my wife and I, ten years was a long time. The average is five. None of this includes the electricty to run the well. Somewhere down the line I will need to replace the 85 gallon water tank. Probably another $1000 or so. I can't imagine what it costs to drill a well now. What $20 a foot, $30 a foot. With so many people wanting to move out to the country, the welldiggers are months behind and getting rich. The amazing part about drilling a well is that you pay UPFRONT and there is no guarantee you will hit water. One guy near me went to 950 feet and still hadn't hit good water. He was SOL. So, after looking at the alternatives, $76 isn't looking as bad.
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What's this?
Is this home in a new development? Many places charge the costs associated with running water and sewer back to the homeowners at a set fee each month. This is very normal, and appropriate.
If I live in town "A", why should I foot the bill for town "B" to have service?
These recoupment fees generally last for a few years and then drop off after the lines are paid for. Some other places roll the costs into the price of the home. In these places, you get to pay for it for 30 years, or whatever length mortgage you have.
Just wondering.
If I live in town "A", why should I foot the bill for town "B" to have service?
These recoupment fees generally last for a few years and then drop off after the lines are paid for. Some other places roll the costs into the price of the home. In these places, you get to pay for it for 30 years, or whatever length mortgage you have.
Just wondering.
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What's this? 
