Joliet Sued Over Outrageous Water, Sewer Bills: Lawsuit

JOLIET, IL — David Neven, who owns two properties on the east side of Joliet, is now suing the city of Joliet, arguing a defective water meter improperly caused his monthly bills to skyrocket into the thousands of dollars.

Neven hired Joliet attorney Chris Rouskey of the Rouskey Law Office on South Hammes Avenue to file the lawsuit. The city of Joliet's corporation counsel has not responded to the lawsuit, yet.

According to the Will County civil lawsuit:

Neven owns 811 Julia Street and 1305 East Cass Street and the defendant, Joliet, provides water and sewer services to each of his properties. Neven's typical monthly billings for Cass Street are $35 to $45 and $75 to $80 for Julia Street.

During June 2021, the monthly bills for the house on Julia Street increased to amounts between $260 and $895.

"The excess billing charges were the result of a defective water meter in June 2022," his lawsuit contends. "Further, when the defendant, city of Joliet, replaced the defective water meter in June 2022, the monthly billing statement returned to approximately $70 per month."

As a result of that particular defective water meter, Joliet issued billing statements of $3,600 more for the period of June 2021 to June 2022 "than the water and sewer services actually provided by the defendant," Neven's lawyer declared.

Meanwhile, because of Joliet's erroneous billing, Joliet has put a lien on Neven's property and stopped water and sewer services for the property, the lawsuit informed Will County's judges.

"David Neven's tenant at the Julia Street property has vacated said property due to the lack of water and sewer services to the property, thereby resulting in a significant loss of rental income to the plaintiff," Rouskey pointed out.

And then there's Neven's property at 1305 East Cass Street.

From February 2020 until May 2022, Neven received billing statements approximately $8,200 more than his typical billing statements, the lawsuit noted.

Again, "the excess billing related to the Cass Street property was the result of a defective meter maintained by the defendant, city of Joliet ... when the defective water meter was replaced in May 2022, the monthly billing statement to the Cass Street property returned to approximately $75," his lawyer stated.

According to the lawsuit, Joliet continues to bill Neven for the erroneous water and sewer charges "created by the defective meter on the subject property."

Furthermore, "the defendant has placed a lien on the Cass Street" property, according to the plaintiffs, even though "plaintiff David Neven has requested that the defendant, city of Joliet, correct its billing, and the defendant has refused to do so."

Now, Rouskey has asked a judge in Will County to declare the water and sewer bills for both of his client's properties n error and that Joliet adjust the billings accordingly.

The lawsuit against Joliet also wants the judge to require the city to release any liens it may have recorded against Neven's properties arising from the erroneous water and sewer billings.