Whopping water bill

MAPLE SHADE, N.J. – February 17, 2009

Action News reporter Denise James asked, "$114-thousand dollars. You don't have that kind of money lying around to pay?"

"Where am I gonna get Take my house to get it," answered Guiseppe.

The bill from Maple Shade Township was $114,763.80 to be exact, which is about 4,000 times the retired seamstress and dockworker's typical $200 to $300 monthly charge.

"I know it's a mistake. So I ain't worried. I ain't worried," Carmela said.

Still their 17-year-old grandson drove them to the township building to investigate.

"They called and told me about the bill. I said get out of here. They said yeah. You been taking too much showers over there," Joe said. "It's a misread. I'm sure of that."

It turns out the DiNato's bill should have been about $137.00, that's a difference of $114,626.42. The township traced the problem to a software glitch.

"When it goes from one software to other software it's supposed to roll over correctly. Apparently it's not doing that," explained Denise Lawler who is a Maple Shade tax collector.

"I'm relief now. Still nervous. No more. Big relief. Better not happen no more," Guiseppe said.

Half a dozen households received similarly large bills. The township wants the problem fixed before the next billing cycle spits out more stressful billing surprises.


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