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WEBVTT THE MAJORITY OF THOSE INCORRECTWATER, ELECTRICTY, AND OIL BILLSFIRST CAME TO LIGHT AFTER THEBALTIMORE CITY SCHOOL SYSTEMHIRED AN ENERGY SPECIALIST TOCHECK THE METERS IN MORE THAN170 BUILDINGS. IT TURNED UP NUMEROUS BILLINGERRORS. WERE YOU SURPRISED WHEN SAW HOWMUCH HAD BEEN BILLED TO THESYSTEM THAT YOU HADN'T USED? >> YES, THERE WAS SOME SURPRISE,BUT I USED TO WORK FOR THE CITYOF BALTIMORE AND DID THE SAMETHING. TIM: IN ONE CASE, SHE DISCOVEREDA $600,000 WATER BILL FOR THEOLD BALTIMORE COMMUNITY HIGHSCHOOL IN EAST BALTIMORE. THE DISTRICT WAS ALSO BILLED FORENERGY USE IN PROPERTIES ITDIDN'T EVEN OWN. IN 2014, THE DISTRICT WAS OVERCHARGED MORE THAN $858,000.$817,000 IN 2015. MORE THAN $1.5 MILLION LASTYEAR, AND $400,000 IN BILLINGERRORS SO FAR THIS SCHOOL YEAR. THE CITY'S SCHOOL CHIEFOPERATING OFFICER EXPECTS THOSENUMBERS WILL GROW EVEN MORE. >> YOU HEAR ABOUT THESE THINGSALL THE TIME. WHAT I WANTED TO MAKE SURE OFWAS THAT THE SCHOOL SYSTEM ISBEING BILLED PROPERLY. IF NOT, THAT WE WERE CATCHINGTHESE ERRORS AND GETTING OURMONEY BACK. TIM: MONEY BACKAND ALSO A HUGEUTILITY CREDIT IN RETURN. >> IT IS TRUE THAT IF YOU LOOKAT THE BILLS AND MONITOR THEM,YOU CAN FIND LOTS OF BILLINGERRORS, AND FIND WAYS ANDPROBLEMS AT SCHOOLS. TIM: IT'S MONEY THE SCHOOLSYSTEM SAYS IT CAN USE IN THEMIDST OF A BUDGET CRISIS. >> IT REALLY DOES MAKE ADIFFERENCE, BECAUSE THAT'S MONEYTHAT WOULD BE PAID TO SOMEONEELSE FOR SOMETHING WE DID NOTREALLY NEED, AND WE CAN USE THISIN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM. TIM: AND TO INVEST ALTERNATIVEFORMS OF ENERGY. THE SCHOOL SYSTEM SAYS IT HAS ANINSTALLED AN OFF-SITE SOLARPANEL FARM. IT EXPECTS IT'LL SAVE ALMOST $3MILLION IN ENERGY COST OVER NEXT20 YEARS. LIVE IN THE STUDIO, TIM TOOTEN,

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Baltimore City and several utility companies over-billed the school system more than $3 million for energy it never used. It was a big financial hit for a district now facing a $130 million deficit. But how did it happen? Download the WBAL app | Read: Energy Report The majority of those incorrect water, electricity and oil bills first came to light after the Baltimore City school system hired an energy specialist to check the meters in more than 170 buildings. It turned up numerous billing errors. "There was some surprise, but I used to work for the city of Baltimore and did the same thing," Baltimore City schools energy specialist Rajeshri Bachubhay said. In one case, she discovered a $600,000 water bill for the old Baltimore Community High School in east Baltimore, but the school is now closed. The district was also billed for energy use in properties it didn't even own. In 2014, the district was overcharged more than $858,000, $817,000 in 2015, more than $1.5 million last year, and $400,000 in billing errors so far this school year. The city's school chief operating officer expects those numbers will grow even more. "You hear about these things all the time. What I wanted to make sure of was that the school system is being billed properly. If not, that we were catching these errors and getting our money back," city school COO Keith Scroggins said. The school system got a combination of money back and a huge utility credit. "It is true that if you look at the bills and monitor them, you can find lots of billing errors and find ways and problems at schools," Bachubhay said. It's money that the school system officials said they can use in the midst of a budget crisis. "It really does make a difference, because that's money that would be paid to someone else for something we did not really need and we can use this in the school system," Scroggins said. It can also be used to invest in alternative forms of energy. The school system has installed an off-site solar panel farm, officials said. The farm is expected to save almost $3 million in energy costs over next 20 years. Also on WBALTV.com: