Wellington officials react to concerns over water bills in Colorado town: "It's not great"
The Town of Wellington continues to navigate growing concerns with the price of their water, as hundreds of residents have vocalized their displeasure with the sudden spike in water bills for many.
Some residents tell CBS News Colorado's Dillon Thomas their water bills have soared to more than $700 a month, with others saying theirs have jumped to more than $1,000 per month. The issues have grown so much that some residents have threatened to abandon homes they rent, while others have suggested they may have to sell their homes to afford everyday life.
"The water situation, it's not great. That is honest. There are no words I can say that are going to make this easier," said Wellington Mayor Calar Chaussee in a recent emergency town hall meeting.
Residents have been contacting the board of trustees and mayor in Wellington for months now expressing their concerns with the price of water. Many shared their frustrations with Thomas, saying they have drastically reduced the amount of water they use in recent months yet say their bills continue to rise. Some say they, living by themselves in a home, are being charged for using nearly 50,000 gallons of water per month even after largely shutting off their sprinkler systems.
Those same people said they had hired contractors to survey their property for leaks and none were found.
Chaussee told residents the price of water has increased significantly in recent years due to the town's need to update infrastructure and continue to accommodate growth. He said the town failed to steadily increase the price of water since signing a contract in 1983 with their water provider, and now the town is having to adjust in order to stay current.
"Right now, we are between a rock and a hard spot. There is no doubt about that. Years and years led up to this. We are here fixing that. We are not kicking the can down the road anymore," Chaussee said.
However, some residents attending the meeting were still vocally displeased with the elected officials navigating their frustrations.
"We are looking at almost $1,700 in water (in the last two months). We haven't really watered at all since summer started," one resident said during public comment.
"There is reasonable concern about the significant difference in the water rates between Wellington and surrounding municipalities," another resident said.
"I respectfully request the mayor of Wellington and the town administrator to resign from their position," one resident said.
Rebekka Dailey, a town trustee, sat down for an interview with Thomas nearly one week after the public meeting.
"It has been a rough-rough conversation," Dailey said.
The town has enforced a tier-rated system for their billing, charging residents who use the most water more staggering prices.
Dailey said only 6% of residents in Wellington fall under the highest tier of payment. She said the town has been sending out their staff to survey concerns raised by residents. In doing so, Dailey said they have yet to find a single meter that was malfunctioning.
Some residents say the meters must be causing issues, suggesting the town is not investigating the meters properly.
"I think people might be using more water than they suspect," Dailey said.
Dailey said she encouraged people to rethink the amount of water they use, adding that people should make sure there are no leaks in their systems.
She also encouraged residents who cannot pay for their water bills to consider applying for a grant through the town which will cover at least $300 of their annual water bill every year.
However, since 2016, Thomas has covered raised concerns by residents when it comes to water on multiple occasions.
"There was an issue with the smell of the water in Wellington, then it became the quality of the water in Wellington," Thomas said. "Now, it is the price of the water in Wellington. Why does this seem to be a problem that is so central to your town?"
"Wellington is a growing community. We are looking for alternate sources to water. We have improved the infrastructure. And, we are about to open two new treatment plants," Dailey said.
Dailey said all of that comes at a cost, a cost which current residents are now having to help the town pay. She said the prices being paid by residents right now are not only being charged accurately, but they are also helping the town secure a system that will make the town a great place to live in the coming years for future generations.
"This is such a difficult situation, my heart goes out to those families," Dailey said with tears in her eyes. "Our goal is to always take care of our residents and make sure they are thriving. To have to make such difficult decisions, knowing it makes it harder, it is a difficult position to be in."
The town is planning to hold another meeting, this time on Tuesday. There, it is expected they will discuss increasing the amount of money residents can receive via a grant. However, Dailey said she could not disclose or speculate how much that amount may be ahead of the meeting.
