PARCHMENT, Mich. -- Testing that revealed contaminated water in Parchment and Cooper Township led to a state-involved initiative to change their source of water and clean the municipal water system.
But even with the flush and fix now in place, water troubles for some residents in the area aren't over. This time, it's higher than normal bills.
There are a couple factors the city says that could add up to a higher water bill this cycle, but people who get their water from the city say they've been through enough already.
Parchment city officials say there are an additional six days on this water bill as well as a spike in the bills for people in Parchment and Cooper Township because of a May vote to increase them. That increase is under $10 for all the people on the Parchment water system.
The city also says flushing the system could have caused leaks that resulted in a higher bill.
Parchment homeowner Jean Brand tells FOX 17 her bill is around $60 every three months, and that this bill cycle, it's almost double. She says she feels there's something more that can be done after all the community has been through already.
"I think we deserve some big adjustments from what we've gone through," Brand said. "And not just for myself, everyone in Parchment who's dealt with this water problem. I just think it's totally unfair."
"It's really on a case by case basis," City Manager Nancy Stoddard said. "So we encourage people who have concerns about these bills, to bring them to me so I can take a look at them."
More information about the city's water system is available here
