ATLANTA (WANF/Gray News) – Alexis Jones’ water bill is astronomical, and she can’t afford to pay it.
Jones rents the house she lives in with her sister and two kids. They had been without water since last November after DeKalb County shut it off for nonpayment.
Atlanta News First reports that Jones and her family didn’t use the water; rather, it was a ghost leak in the front yard that wouldn’t be fixed for nearly two and a half years.
DeKalb County records show water usage at 896,000 gallons over a one-month period. The leak was large enough to fill a swimming pool daily, but the county left the water on because it determined it was on private property.
The county held Jones responsible because her name was on the bill.
“I’m in panic mode,” Jones said. “First off, I don’t have this money. Second, how did it get to this, because again, I’m using my water as normal.”
In January 2020, Jones’ bill skyrocketed from $165 to $17,000. The county flagged it and assigned a crew to investigate, but its crew waited three weeks and then left a ticket on Jones’ door that confirmed the meter was running, suggesting a possible leak.
A crew replaced the water meter the following month but didn’t stop the leak. DeKalb County records show the county tried to reach Jones several times, but she admits waiting more than a month before notifying the property owner.
By the time Jones reported a leak, the COVID pandemic changed everything. DeKalb County issued a water shut-off moratorium.
The property owner’s maintenance worker fixed a leaking shower, but Jones said he didn’t check for leaks in the front yard.
“I was working two jobs at the time; I had two small kids,” Jones said. “I was working from home. It was a lot of factors.”
Atlanta Legal Aid attorney Erin Willoughby said tenants aren’t responsible for fixing leaks but they are responsible for notifying the property owner and documenting it.
“The owner is always going to be responsible for making…
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