It’s like the city wasn’t aware they existed, so now it’s making up for lost time.

That’s how residents of an east Toronto townhouse complex describe their current splash with the city’s water services department. Despite repeated calls from some asking to have their water meters hooked up, 30 units were never officially added to the water grid.

Last week, at long last, residents found water bills in their mail slots. But they were aghast at the amounts billed: more than $5,000 in some cases, stretching back more than six years to when the complex was built.

And payment is due May 5.

“Everybody I spoke with got billed the same amount,” said Jim Barbour, who lives with his wife and four children at the complex, on the corner of Dundas St. E. and Kingston Rd. He’s written a letter to the city and his local councillor, Mary-Margaret McMahon, demanding an explanation for how the bills were calculated, and why — and how — the city didn’t bill them for so long.

“It took nearly seven years to notice 30 homes weren’t getting bills,” Barbour said. “Who’s reviewing the water meter billing at the city?”

What do you think?

City communications co-ordinator Lyne Kyle told the Star in an email that Toronto Water realized something was amiss early this month when one of the homeowners called to ask about getting a meter.

Kyle said the city calculated the bills for Barbour and his neighbours by pegging the average consumption of homes this size — one cubic metre of water per day — to the annual price of water, which has been rising steadilyover the years.

“Moving forward, once the meters are installed, these homeowners will be charged based on their water use,” Kyle said.

Barbour’s neighbour, John Golding, said he had repeatedly caled city officials to get them to start tracking his water use, to no avail. He eventually installed a water meter himself, but still wasn’t getting billed. Now that the fee has arrived, he claims he is being charged for nearly four times more water than he actually used since moving to his townhouse in mid-2008. He’s also being billed for months he didn’t live there.

“They’re just guessing out of a hat,” said Golding. “They just give you a $5,000 bill … Who has that kind of money in their bank account?”

Jacques Bonhomme also lives in the complex with his wife and kids. Like Golding and Barbour, he reached out to the city to inquire about the getting a water meter set up, but says the process was difficult and never panned out.

According to the city’s Water Meter Program website, Toronto residents can call or book an appointment online to get a meter installed for free. Under the new electronic meter system — which the city indicates is completely rolled out in the ward that includes the townhouse complex — residents are supposed to get three bills per year.

Kyle said that in 2011 the city started flagging new developments for follow-ups to ensure utility use is being tracked. The city’s revenue services department has also been working to match tax and utility accounts to make sure everyone is online, said Kyle.

These homes were missed because they were built before this flagging process was put in place, Kyle said.

“Most of us are more than willing to pay; it’s just very frustrating that they make it so difficult to set up,” said Bonhomme. “It’s just like a cat chasing its tail.”

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Bonhomme and Barbour have both suggested they should be given a payment plan to pay what they owe, but want clarification on how their $5,000 bills were calculated.

“That’s a big hole in your pocket, I’ll tell you,” said Bonhomme.

Kyle said the city is working with some of the homeowners to extend the due date for their bills and to pay them incrementally.

The average annual water bill in Toronto — based on 300 cubic metres per year — is currently $887. In 2008, just after the east Toronto complex was built, the average was $522.