System- Wide Billing Audit, Software Correction and Account Adjustments

OFFICIAL NOTICE TO CITY OF CAREY WATER UTILITY CUSTOMERS

RE: System-Wide Billing Audit, Software Correction, and Account Adjustments

Dear City of Carey Water Customers,

The City of Carey is committed to providing transparent, accurate, and fair utility services to our community. As your City Clerk, I am writing to formally notify you of a system-wide billing discrepancy we recently uncovered and successfully corrected.

What Happened?

Two distinct issues have impacted our water billing system over the last several months:

• The Software Mapping Error: Earlier this year, my office computer underwent a standard hardware upgrade. When our meter system provider, Sensus, reinstalled our billing program, they incorrectly configured the software to pull data from an outdated local desktop backup instead of our active, secure Cloud backup with BMS. Because of this error, all monthly water bills issued from February through this month defaulted back to your January meter reading only.

• Legacy "Estimated" Usage: While working with BMS to fix this software issue, we conducted a deeper historical audit. We discovered that over 100 physical water meters in the city are not transmitting data to our system electronically. Instead of obtaining manual field reads for these broken transmitters, the previous administrative practice was to manually type a static, estimated usage number into the system each month, which has occurred for several years.

What This Means for Your Utility Bill’

Because your account is transitioning from several months of flat January rates—and, for some, years of flat "estimated" readings—to actual, real-time water consumption, your upcoming utility bill may look different.

• Some residents will see a bill that is lower than usual.
• Many residents will see a noticeably higher bill than they are accustomed to, reflecting actual water consumed during this period.

Customer Support & Relief Protections

The City of Carey understands that an unexpected increase in utility costs can place a burden on household budgets. Consistent with municipal policies in neighboring Idaho communities, we are offering the following relief programs:

Temporary Suspension of Late Fees & Disconnections

To help our residents adjust, the City of Carey is waiving all late fees, penalties, and service disconnections related to these billing adjustments for the next 90 days.

Deferred Payment Agreements (DPA)

If your corrected bill is higher than expected, you do not have to pay the entire balance at once. Please visit City Hall or call my office to set up a personalized, interest-free Payment Arrangement to spread the balance over several months.

Local Financial Assistance Resources

If you are experiencing financial hardship, please consider reaching out to these local programs that provide utility assistance for Blaine County residents:

• South Central Community Action Partnership (SCCAP): (208) 733-9351 (Provides LIHEAP/Utility Aid)
• Blaine County Charitable Fund (BCCF): (208) 244-5205 (Provides emergency utility grants)
• Idaho Care Line: Dial 2-1-1

We sincerely apologize for this error and any frustration or confusion it may cause. Our priority is to ensure Carey’s utility system is accurate, accountable, and fair to every resident. Please do not hesitate to contact City Hall with any questions or to establish a payment agreement.

Sincerely,

Dawn Shotswell

City Clerk

City of Carey, Idaho

(208) 823-4045