shockedcanadian
Diamond Member
- Aug 6, 2012
- 43,889
- 42,938
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More of the Police States failures. They use every dirty trick in the book in bankrupt jurisdictions.
A Toronto senior who was shocked to receive a nearly $2,400 water bill last month says she can't afford to pay it, and the City of Toronto was of little help despite previous public comments it would assist homeowners in her situation.
After contacting the city, Iluminada Aguilar, 76, learned her bill was so high because it was an adjusted catch-up bill due to a known equipment failure affecting thousands of Toronto homeowners.
Aguilar's water meter transmission unit (MTU) stopped working and so her home's water usage was being estimated based on historic use, but those amounts were too low, resulting in the large bill to make up the difference.
"It's not fair," Aguilar said. "I don't have the money to pay for it."
City staff have publicly promised payment plans would be available for customers who receive large catch-up bills and require flexibility to pay them. But that promise wasn't extended to Aguilar until after CBC Toronto contacted the city about her case.
Aguilar's fight with the city comes nearly a year after CBC first reported on MTUs failing prematurely. After that, the city revealed it would need to replace all 470,000 across Toronto.
As of April 2025, more than half of the MTUs have failed, according to a city staff report.
While water meters themselves continue to function properly, the failing transmitters mean water usage information is not being sent to the city, which has resulted in estimated bills or, in some cases, no bills at all.
The city says estimations are typically accurate but in cases when they aren't, some customers, like Aguilar, end up with bills to make up the difference.
A Toronto senior who was shocked to receive a nearly $2,400 water bill last month says she can't afford to pay it, and the City of Toronto was of little help despite previous public comments it would assist homeowners in her situation.
After contacting the city, Iluminada Aguilar, 76, learned her bill was so high because it was an adjusted catch-up bill due to a known equipment failure affecting thousands of Toronto homeowners.
Aguilar's water meter transmission unit (MTU) stopped working and so her home's water usage was being estimated based on historic use, but those amounts were too low, resulting in the large bill to make up the difference.
"It's not fair," Aguilar said. "I don't have the money to pay for it."
City staff have publicly promised payment plans would be available for customers who receive large catch-up bills and require flexibility to pay them. But that promise wasn't extended to Aguilar until after CBC Toronto contacted the city about her case.
Aguilar's fight with the city comes nearly a year after CBC first reported on MTUs failing prematurely. After that, the city revealed it would need to replace all 470,000 across Toronto.
As of April 2025, more than half of the MTUs have failed, according to a city staff report.
While water meters themselves continue to function properly, the failing transmitters mean water usage information is not being sent to the city, which has resulted in estimated bills or, in some cases, no bills at all.
The city says estimations are typically accurate but in cases when they aren't, some customers, like Aguilar, end up with bills to make up the difference.
