Colorado Springs man finds broken toilet, $1,200 water bill after trip

You've gotta be shitting me..... no pun intended..... lol

http://www.9news.com/news/watercoole...?storyid=75697

Quote:

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COLORADO SPRINGS (AP) - A man returning from a two-month trip found a broken toilet that sent 227,616 gallons of water down the drain and the city-owned utility seeking payment on a $1,200 water bill.

Les Cole's fixture broke some time during his trip to Vermont to research a book between April 16 and June 24.

Now, Cole, 82, who lives on a fixed income, wants Colorado Springs Utilities to have mercy and waive the charges because of what he calls special circumstances.

"I like to see things happen in behalf of the citizens," said Cole, who worked for the federal government for 33 years. "Not spit in their eye."

Officials have referred him to social service agencies for financial help but have refused to adjust the bill.

"If you're going to be gone for that long, my recommendation is to have a friend or a neighbor or family member check your home," said Utilities spokesman Steve Berry.

A meter reader in June recorded Cole had used 139,876 gallons of water, 89 times more than the previous month's reading. Utility officials sent another meter reader to make sure it was not an error.

"The new read showed that there was not an error on the previous read, and no visual outdoor evidence was seen that would have given us an indication there was a problem inside the customer's home," Berry said in an e-mail.


(Copyright Associated Press, All Rights Reserved)

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The guy works for the federal government for 33 years and now expects to be cut some slack? Has dementia set in? Oh wait, I get it. He's used to others footing the bill for his benefit.