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http://www.omniture.com --> Sections Home Page Local News AP News Blogs Archives Business Classifieds Event Calendar Forums Life Opinion Obituaries Photo Gallery Readers Photo Gallery Sports Tempo Weather Road Cams Special Coverage 2006 Britt Festivals --> Shop Our Valley AutoFinder HomeFinder JobFinder Search Our Valley Special Sections Distinctly Northwest Readers' Choice Homelife Magazine Joy Magazine Oregon Golf Info Oregon Wine Info Other Publications Local Links Ashland News eSouthernOregon Newspapers In Education Personals Moving Here Movie Listings TV Listings Volunteer Customer Service Advertise With Us Media Kit Place Classified Ad Contact Us FAQ's Home Delivery Site Map --> Email Story to a Friend February 5, 2007 Misread meter racks up 5 years of bad bills Refunds to the tune of $364,000 are in the mail for Boise Wood Products; apparently meter-reading mistakes aren't that unusual By Meg Landers Mail Tribune A misplaced decimal point caused a White City company to overpay its water and sewer bills by $364,000. But not to worry, the refund checks are in the mail. Boise Wood Products is receiving the refund from the region's water, sewage transport and sewage treatment agencies because the mistaken meter reading went unnoticed for five years. In 2001, a Medford Water Commission meter reader read one of Boise's half dozen meters to the 100s of gallons rather than the 1,000 gallons, making it read 10 times higher, and once the mistake was made, it was continued, said Bill York, director of customer service at the water commission. In October one of the commission's readers asked why that meter was read differently than the others, causing staff members to review old records and pinpoint the mistake. Then the commission contacted the mill, said York. "Everybody was very nice and very up front about it," said Dick Hill, regional controller for Boise, adding that there are no hard feelings. "We lost the interest on that money but they're trying to get it right." Advertisement Both the regional water treatment plant and Rogue Valley Sewer Services base their rates on the water meter reading, which magnified the mistake. "It was a ripple effect all the way through," said Hill. The Water Commission is refunding $152,000, the regional sewage treatment plant is refunding $133,000 and Rogue Valley Sewer Services is refunding $79,000. York said the mistake slipped past about half a dozen staff members, unnoticed in part because Boise's water usage fluctuates month-to-month, and that meter, in 2002, for example, ranged from about 1.5 million to nearly 7 million in monthly readings. The commission has 30,000 meters. Of those, it has about 80 large commercial customers for which it now goes through and double-checks readings by hand, said Larry Rains, commission manager. Chuck Root, manager for Rogue Valley Sewer Services, said RVS occasionally reviews bills but for the most part is dependent on the commission's meter readers reading the meters correctly. He said residential customers pay a flat RVS rate, so it's the commercial customers that can have a varying rate from month to month. "Anybody paying any kind of bill should look at them and see if it makes sense to them," said Root. Cory Crebbin, director of the public works department, which manages the regional wastewater treatment plant, said the department reviews the bills but doesn't review the meter readings. York said it's possible other meters are read incorrectly. "Customers can always read their own meter," he said. "We're very open to that. People do that a lot. Especially something like a mill like that." Reach reporter Meg Landers at 776-4481 or e-mail [email protected] . Would you like to respond to this story? If so Click Here to visit our forums. Advertisement Copyright © 1997-2007 Mail Tribune, Inc. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions | Website Feedback online casinos news Home Security Systems Online Casino Reviews Online poker at AbsolutePoker.com Fundraisers UK Homeowner Loans Casinos Canada Cord Blood Banking Entertainment Guide Texas Electric Choice Compare Electric rates in Texas Windermere Van Vleet Trunks, Footlocker Men's Clothing Debt Help