Inkster residents seek class-action lawsuit over high water bills

Inkster residents say city has no explanation, resolution for startlingly high water bills

INKSTER, Mich. – Over the past year they have flooded Inkster city leaders with their water concerns.

They are long-time residents of the city who have seen their water bills shoot through the roof. William Fowler is one of them. He recently received a bill for more than $6,000.

"We are not using $2,000 worth of water per billing cycle. Something is obviously extremely wrong," Fowler said.

Related: Inkster holds meeting to address water bill complaints

On two separate occasions, Fowler left work early and lost pay in order to schedule meetings with the city treasurer about the skyrocketing rates. Each time he was turned away.

"How am I going to pay this? Why should I have to pay it? Something is wrong," he said.

In the past, the city has blamed the dramatic rise on an increase in water rates. They have also admitted to flaws with a new billing system.

However, the situation is far from resolved.

"We've been talking about this fro two years," said Sandra Watley, of the Inkster Citizen Action Network. "Two years this has been going on and no one has come up in leadership with a solution."

Watley's group is attempting to file a class-action lawsuit against the city of Inkster.

"We just need relief," she said. "We need this problem alleviated."

Fowler just wants the city to admit there is a problem, for starters.

"My hope is that the city of Inkster will say' 'Hey, something is wrong. We have to fix this,'" he said.

While some have seen the water bills reduced, other haven't been as lucky.

The Inkster Citizen Action Network will hold a town hall meeting Thursday. They are asking each person to donate $20 to help hire a lawyer so they can get the ball rolling on the class-action suit.