Woman told she owes MLGW nearly $25k

UPDATE: Whitaker-Waye said she got a call from MLGW Friday and was told her current balance was just $250.

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — A Memphis woman thought it was a late April Fool’s Day joke when an MLGW clerk told her she owed the utility nearly $25,000.

Tawanda Whitaker-Wayne said the last bill she received from MLGW was in early January for $376.

She said she made estimated payments in February and March, and in April, went to MLGW to pay her bill in person and was stunned when she was handed a receipt that showed she still owed $24,854.

“I asked them if it was everybody’s house that I paid for in Memphis, Tennessee, but everybody took it as a joke, even the security guard when he put me out,” said Whitaker-Wayne.

But it was no laughing matter for Whitaker-Wayne. Whitaker-Wayne has lived in a modest three-bedroom home in South Memphis for three years and said she has never had a bill over $500.

“I had seen it on the news with other people and said to my husband, ‘What if that happens to us?’ And he was like, ‘What if?’ And I be doggoned it happened to us,” she said.

Whitaker-Wayne said she called MLGW’s customer service line and was told they would look into the matter. Twelve days later, she is still waiting for someone to get back to her.

“The lady in customer service at MLGW said it happens to some of us. Sometimes people get bills for $25,000,” Whitaker-Wayne said. “So I’m probably not the only person worried and probably not the only one who probably got it.”

WREG contacted MLGW Wednesday to find out how much Whitaker-Wayne owed and received this response:

“MLGW is having ongoing issues with bills due to gas and water meter mechanical failures. Ms. Whitaker has been in contact with MLGW regarding her bill. She was advised that her bill was in review and to expect a corrected bill next month. A customer service rep. will follow up with her to discuss her account.”

During a board meeting last month, Memphis Light, Gas, and Water President and CEO Doug McGowen blamed delayed billing issues on faulty smart meters.

MLGW says delayed bills caused by faulty smart meters

“You’ll recall the term wriggler, the drive shaft between the register and the meter, and we believe that to be the causal failure for those registers recording zero. We have to replace all of those wrigglers and the meters that have failed,” said McGowen.

McGowen said the problem was being addressed, and said customers affected by the billing delays would not lose their power.

“If you were impacted by this, you will not be cut off. If we are estimating you and we put a new register in, we’ll treat you like a new customer,” said McGowen.

MLGW says about 8,000 customers have been impacted. The utility says the number was much higher at around 38,000 customers last fall.

MLGW sends customer $17,000 utility bill with 2 days to pay

WREG reported for months that customers were receiving outrageous bills due to MLGW’s water meter issues.

MLGW said if you have a question about your bill, you should call 901-544-6549. The utility company said if you receive an incorrect bill due to a gas or water meter mechanical failure, they will correct it.

Memphis Light, Gas and Water said for additional resources concerning delayed bills/mechanical meter issues, you can visit their website.

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