Alan Greenblatt is a GOVERNING correspondent.
E-mail: mailbox@governing.comTwitter: @governing
I just read a story about a man charged $27,000 in Internet access fees for watching a football game on his laptop. That's nothing. Yesterday, I got a water bill for $115,572.26.
Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission says I've used 11,078,000 gallons of water since October.
By way of helpful comparison, the WSSC bill notes that the average person uses 70 gallons per day. In our house, we used 86,172.
Apparently someone needs to pay for all the water main breaks we've had in the area lately.
And we need to pay the bill soon. After March 26, we'll be dunned an additional $5,778.61 in late payment fees.
This bill was so absurd that when I called to complain the customer service person immediately recognized it was a mistake and promised to send someone out to do a fresh reading of our meter.
But it made for fun show and tell around the office. I have been the subject of many jokes about extremely long showers, about our home's flood zone policy and about our son's potty training clearly having gotten out of hand.
Written and compiled by staff writers and editors, GOVERNING View is an on-the-ground, and sometimes behind-the-scenes, look at the topics we're covering in print and online. From notes on what's up in statehouses, county courthouses and city halls, to encounters with people, places and things, GOVERNING View is a window into the side of state and local government you don't always see.
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