CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — We have a new Troubleshooters report tonight.
It's about a woman who has called for help with her water bill, which is pretty high.
Maria Sanchez Ortiz says she hasn't had running water service since March 9.
So she has to buy water so she can wash dishes and bathe herself and her son at her Annaville home.
Ortiz says she has to boil water 4-5 times a day to do that, saying it has already cost her $300 in water alone.
This is why she says she's asking for help.
Her city utility bill, dated from January 2019 was for a little more than $5,600.
“I owed them a little over $10,000,” she said. “I've brought it down to a little over $5,000.”
This letter from the city asked her to agree to make five payments of nearly $1000.00 beginning in September of last year.
She's tried to keep up with that payment plan, plus pay her regular utility bill, but that's not easy, as you can imagine.
“That's what we have to do,” she said.
Ortiz admits she may pay her bill a day or two late, but never months late.
She further claims the city has never come out to her home to check her meter or check for leaks.
“They've never offered to do anything except collect what they want. the money,” she said. “That's it.”
In fact, Ortiz showed us a phone call she claims she received from the city yesterday, asking if she could pay $1,500 today to restore her water service.
So she's called us.
And we've called Margaret Morin, manager of the utility business office.
Ortiz has also hired an attorney and claims that Corpus Christi Councilwoman Paulette Guajardo wants to help her.
As always, whenever you need help from the Troubleshooters, send us an email at troubleshooters@kztv10.com.
