Columbus will begin shutting off water today to more than 4,500 customers who haven't paid their bills.

The city will shut off water to 60 customers today, said Greg Davies, spokesman for the Public Utilities Department.

The Division of Water will turn off supplies to 50 to 200 customers a day from Monday through Thursday each week for three months.

All will be charged $40 turn-off fees.

The city resumed mailing notices on Nov. 27, about 18 months after it stopped sending shut-off notices when it began installing a new computerized billing system that was behind schedule and about $4 million over budget.

By the time the new $10 million system was up, 28,000 of 240,000 customers, 12 percent of the city's water accounts, were past due at least seven days for payments totaling $8.2 million, a larger than normal amount. Usually, only 5 percent of accounts are delinquent.

The shortfall didn't affect division operations, said Sue Young, customer-service coordinator.

"Fortunately, we had a reserve to fall back on,'' she said.

The city will first shut off customers whose bills have been delinquent at least 49 days, Davies said.

Most of the 128 customers scheduled to be shut off Thursday are on the South Side, according to a list provided by the city.

The city is starting there because that's where the computer began picking up delinquencies after the new billing system was up and running and that's where the first late notices were sent in November, Young said.

One who is on that list is Brian Hanning of 910 Breathitt Ave.

Hanning knew he was behind on his water bill to the tune of $467.11, but he said that he never received any late or shut-off notice and didn't realize his water was to be shut off this week.

He just received his latest water bill yesterday; the bill, postmarked Monday, showed current charges and the late fee.

Hanning, 33, said he has been working at a new job for only two months after being laid off as a carpet installer for seven months. Feeding his kids -- ages 6, 12 and 16 -- and heating and lighting his all-electric house came first when deciding which bills he and his wife, Rhonda, would pay.

"I totally forgot about the water bill,'' Hanning said. "It's just one of those things you don't think about.

"I don't know what I can do. I'll see if I can set up partial payments.''

Customers can arrange payment plans up until the time their water is scheduled to be shut off. After that, they have to pay the amount in full, Davies said.

Even though between 4,500 and 5,000 accounts remain delinquent, the notices seem to have pushed others to pay. Davies said 4,658 customers now have payment plans with the city, up from 1,788 in September.

Most customers either paid their bills or set up payment plans after receiving past-due notices. Each customer is sent a notice a week after the bill is due, then a turn-off notice three weeks after that. Each then is given another three weeks to pay the bill.

City officials are concerned that the shut- offs could hit poorer customers the hardest. But, Davies said, "That's why we have payment plans.''

"If you sign up for water, regardless of your financial situation, you have to pay for the water. When we run these, you'll find people in Upper Arlington, people across the city,'' he said.

And with 28,000 customers delinquent at least a week in the fall, "Obviously, that's not just poor folks,'' he said.

The code-enforcement department is prepared to get calls from tenants in rental properties where water is shut off. It is illegal for property owners to not pay water bills and allow service to be shut off. Code-enforcement officers will order the Water Division to resume service, then will go after the landlords, Davies said.

The amounts owed by customers who are to be cut off beginning today range from $100.06 to $3,763.60, according to city records. Some of the properties with the highest balances appeared to be vacant, including an eight-unit, two-story brick complex at 333 S. Champion Ave. on the East Side, for which the $3,763.60 is owed.

Davies said the Water Division hasn't received many complaints about the shut-offs -- yet.

"The complaints should start (today),'' he said.

The Columbus Dispatch

OH: City resumes water shut-off notices

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