On the same day that CBC ran a story about a property owner in Hintonburg facing an eight-year-old water bill from a previous owner, Meg Dolland received a notice from the city. Dolland, who had heard about Robert Haslett’s situation, was now being asked to pay $435 for just 10 days of water usage, along with accrued interest dating back to March 2020, right before she bought her house in Old Ottawa South. Dolland expressed her frustration, deeming the five-year delay in notification and the high bill unjust and unreasonable. She criticized the city for allowing interest to accumulate over time, emphasizing that she would have promptly settled the bill if informed earlier.
Dolland is not the only one facing such issues. John Dathan, another resident, was shocked to discover arrears for his Westboro home dating back to a two-week period in 2017, now amounting to $369 with interest. Similarly, Ann Marcil received a letter regarding arrears from 2018, which have escalated to $576 over the years. Both residents questioned the delayed notification and the city’s responsibility to pursue the previous owners for outstanding charges before burdening new owners.
City officials clarified that water arrears are tied to the property, not the individual, following provincial regulations that prevent these charges from being written off. The city endeavors to collect from previous owners first but acknowledged that this process can be lengthy. Residents like Marcil and Dana Thibeault criticized the city for not promptly reaching out to them or seeking their assistance in locating the previous owners to resolve the outstanding bills.
Despite the recent influx of letters to residents regarding old water bills, the city denied conducting a targeted collection campaign, stating that these notifications are part of routine account reviews. Joseph Muhuni, the city’s deputy treasurer for revenue, assured residents that they can seek legal assistance to identify any outstanding charges and encouraged them to contact the city for further clarification on their water bills.