Ohio Public Utilities Commission says it has no oversight of sub-metering company Universal UtilitiesSWANTON, Ohio (WTVG) - When Matthew Parenteau moved into Arrowhead Lake Mobile Home Park three years ago, a neighbor gave him a warning right away.“When I first moved in here, somebody came up to me and said, ‘Don’t drink the water,’” Parenteau said.That warning has stuck. Some months, residents receive two or three notices telling them not to drink the water or to boil it first. Even witho...
Ohio Public Utilities Commission says it has no oversight of sub-metering company Universal Utilities
SWANTON, Ohio (WTVG) - When Matthew Parenteau moved into Arrowhead Lake Mobile Home Park three years ago, a neighbor gave him a warning right away.
“When I first moved in here, somebody came up to me and said, ‘Don’t drink the water,’” Parenteau said.
That warning has stuck. Some months, residents receive two or three notices telling them not to drink the water or to boil it first. Even without a notice, Parenteau said the water can smell.
“Today it doesn’t smell too bad, but some days I turn the water on and it smells like rancid pond water,” Parenteau said.
Parenteau pays to have drinking water delivered to his home, doesn’t let his pet drink from the tap and doesn’t shower there either.
“I had to get a membership to YMCA so I can shower there everyday,” Parenteau said.
Despite using almost no water at home, Parenteau received a bill this month for nearly $400 from Universal Utilities. His previous two bills showed a negative balance, including an $87 credit — the result of a problem with his water meter earlier this year.
Parenteau said Universal later admitted there were mistakes on his account.
“I called up there, and they said they wanted me to pay that two months I didn’t pay; Their mistake, I got a negative bill. They wanted me to pay for a water meter they didn’t provide and they admitted to all three mistakes,” Parenteau said.
Parenteau lives on a fixed income and recently saw his rent increase by $200. He said he does not believe he should have to pay the bill.
“It’s frustrating. I can’t drink the water,” Parenteau said.
The manager at Arrowhead Lake said he had no idea about the concerns and directed 13 Action News to the park’s parent company, FTI Property Management in California.
13 Action News reached out to FTI Property Management and to Universal Utilities but has not yet received a response.
When asked who oversees Universal Utilities, the Ohio Public Utilities Commission said it does not, because Universal is a sub-metering company that falls outside its jurisdiction.