After 10 months with dry taps, water back on at woman's home

Annie Williams washes up Friday under her kitchen faucet, something she'd been unable to do since last September. Annie Williams washes up Friday under her kitchen faucet, something she'd been unable to do since last September. Photo: J. Patric Schneider Photo: J. Patric Schneider Image 1 of / 3 Caption Close After 10 months with dry taps, water back on at woman's home 1 / 3 Back to Gallery

After nearly 10 months, Annie Williams has water flowing again from the taps at her northwest Houston home.

Service was restored Thursday after Williams was featured in the Houston Advocate blog and the Houston Chronicle last Saturday, which brought her to the attention of her congressional representative.

"I was just so happy," exclaimed the 72-year-old Williams. "I want to thank the people who did help me and those who wanted to help me."

Williams' disputes with the city date back to at least 2008, when a malfunctioning receiver erroneously reported astronomical meter readings. That was resolved. Then last year, records showed that her home's pipes carried 76,000 gallons in January 2011 and 57,000 gallons in February 2011, resulting in a $1,500 bill.

Williams disputed the charges, insisting that she didn't use that much water, but gave up on reaching a resolution with the city. Her service was cut off in September for nonpayment.

Last week, officials with the city's Public Works Department and Mayor Annise Parker's office said they remained willing to work with Williams, but her water remained shut off.

U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee heard the Chronicle story being read and discussed on KCOH-AM (1430) last Saturday morning and visited Williams, who lives in Jackson Lee's district, that afternoon.

"I was appalled to see the bottles and bottles and bottles of water, but more importantly the stress the family had gone through - particularly her veteran son, who is disabled," the congresswoman said.

Plumbers union volunteers

City workers responded to Jackson Lee's request to check the meter last Saturday and confirmed that the account was blocked.

On Monday, the congresswoman met at Williams' home with officials from the Veterans Affairs regional office and Public Works director Daniel Krueger. Jackson Lee then arranged for volunteers from the Plumbers Local Union No. 68 to check the home. They found no leaks, but fixed a toilet flap, the congresswoman said.

After the plumbing inspection (which is required for a city adjustment), Jackson Lee persuaded Williams to agree to a negotiated charge of roughly $1,000, which was paid by the Gulf Coast Community Services Association - a community action agency. The VA and a disabled veterans organization also have offered services to Williams' son, the congresswoman said.

Public Works spokesman Gary Norman confirmed the restored service, but couldn't offer further details Friday because Williams requested that her account information remain confidential. Norman noted that the city didn't make any exceptions in the case.

"The Public Works Department is controlled by city ordinances that very specifically spell out what we can and can't do and those ordinances have the force of law," he said. "Our position hasn't changed. We are following and applying the ordinances."

Norman also directed consumers with questions or problems to the city's water customer service line: 713-371-1400.

City policies questioned

While Jackson Lee said her office is "glad to be a vessel," she can't understand why the intervention of a member of Congress was required to resolve a city issue.

"Anyone would feel literally in despair if they had their water cut off for now going on almost a year. How many others are similarly impacted?" she said. "It just made me commit to look into the city's policies regarding senior citizens. It seems to be a policy that is crying out for reform."

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