San Diego City Water

These people are on one heck of a power trip. Never had an issue with them until today (9÷30÷15). I had a bill that was due 8÷24÷15, I know, I had it on my payment schedule for 10÷2÷15 and got busy with being out of town and I SHOULD have paid earlier. Anyways, with little warning, off goes the water. I say little, for I received the yellow «reminder» in the mail, and that was it. Nothing else advising of their hard stance. I mean really? The bill is 38 days past due — And you cut the water from a great past-​standing paying customer? That’s ridiculous. Who do these people think they are? I can understand if I’m 60 or 90 days late, and it’s consecutive month after month, but one time 38 days late. You should re-​evaluate your stance by cutting people off from a necessity in life. If not, you people are sick and I hope you get what is owed to you. Karma is a b*tch.

I’ve had to call their so-​called «customer service» line several times only to get some callous, rude representative who offered no help or resolution. They LOVE to tell you that you can do everything on their online website and that all the answers are there – excuse me, what do you get paid for?
I’ve tried emailing them for a request of something and I never even received any email back.
The biggest fact was that they were rude and callous. It always sounds like a bad day for SD Public Utilities employees, it’s saddening and wished they would lighten up when speaking to people on the phone.

The City of San Diego water department is the worst. Don’t ever try and call them. I literally called them 10 times, once I was on hold for 45 minutes. I sat through an entire meeting on hold. They never answer the phone there. When I went down there, I was told that the reason the wait times are so long is that they are understaffed. Apparently they’ve been understaffed for quite sometime based off of these other Unilocal reviews.
When I inquired as to why my bill was so high I was told that each billing cycle, no matter how much water I use, there is a base fee of $ 135. If I use some water then that amount goes up. So basically if I want to survive, I have to pay more than $ 150 per month. I don’t understand why they charge both a usage fee, and a fee for having an account. I feel that if I have a base fee, that they should include my usage in there, and if I exceed my usage then add an additional fee. It’s just stupid to charge people $ 135 per billing cycle even is no water is used. Water is a necessity for life. Charging an exorbitant amount of money for life is crap. It’s just crap.
Another thing, why is the water department in some fancy high rise. Sure the public utilities department is basically in a closet, but come on. Stop charging us to be alive and reduce your overhead.

Hate these people. They use ridiculous methods to calculate their fees. We tried our hardest to conserve water, letting our grass die, cutting down on washing machine, showers but they still continue to charge idiotic amounts.

If you have a question and don’t have your bill, then you can’t access their automated system. The number they have listed, nobody anwers the phone. When you leave a message nobody returns your calls. And I wonder why these city employees get upset when Mayors take away benefits that they don’t deserve nor worked for!

San Diego Water
Eek! Methinks not!!! But when it comes to water, do we have a choice?
A couple of years ago they started adding misc charges to my bill. A couple of hundred here 50 there.
I spent, (wasted), numerous hours trying to resolve it. Then they added interest to all the charges & interest on the interest. Finally I gave up. They tried to shut me down. I piled my garbage cans over that little in ground concrete box on the boulevard. They had an employee watch me for about 3 hours. I sat in a lawn chair doing my work talking to him as he watched me. I convinced him to follow his passion & build a side business until he could quit the water dept. lol.
Over the last year, I continued to pay $ 100 per mth. 1 person. That should be more than enough to cover the water that I actually used. So Jan 25,2013 they shut my water down. No warning. No tags on the door. I was planning to get off the grid anyway. I have been collecting rain water. It makes your hair really nice. I’ve been soaking in the Jacuzzi at the Y. Drinking bottled water & using rain water for washing, for the toilet etc. I paid my hundred this month. I called them again.. I emailed them: Connect my water or no more payments from me. They said I have to pay my bill & all the misc fees & interest on the misc fees, over $ 600 to re-​connect. They gave me a number of they call code enforcement, to call. I called 3X busy. Then I went back & cancelled my payment .
I have been researching how to get off the grid In the most convenient way. I’ve been researching the best pump. I think Its about $ 200, which is about 2 months paying them. After that, my water is free. So once I get it all together, if you want to eliminate your water bills, email me. When I’ve learned, tested & know, I’ll teach anyone who wants to learn. Then I want to take these guys to court. Small claims Is the easiest. Isn’t it against the law to have a monopoly? I welcome All ideas & info on pumps, legal issues, advice on getting off the grid etc.
I have really had it with large monopolies taking advantage of the little person. Am I the only person feeling ripped off by these large monopolies? I’m only one person, but I will take a stand. Anyone want to join me?