Landlord’s water-bill appeal denied; board urges professional inspection before credit

A Hortonville landlord whose water bill jumped from a typical ~$300 to about $1,645 this quarter asked the village board April 16 to consider splitting sewer charges or granting relief while he pursues replacement of a suspected defective water softener or a second meter.

Luke Abbottz, who said he owns a duplex at 203 North Mil Street, told trustees he and his tenants monitored the property after receiving the high bill, checked plumbing fixtures and exterior faucets, and reviewed the village’s usage graphs showing a steady spike from late December into early February. Abbottz said the meter company reported the device appeared to be working as designed.

Village staff and trustees discussed the data in public session and explained the village’s leak-credit policy. Director of Public Works Aaron said the village may grant a 50% credit to sewer charges for up to one quarter if a leak occurred and corrective action is documented; however, he said staff found no visible leak or documented repair to justify an exception in this case.

Trustees and staff discussed plausible causes — a running toilet, heavy laundry, or a stuck water‑softener drain pump — and recommended that Abbottz hire a licensed plumber to inspect the home, produce a written report identifying cause and corrective action, and then bring the documentation back to the village. Without such verification, the board voted to deny the reimbursement request at this time.

The board’s denial was procedural rather than dispositive: trustees repeatedly invited Abbottz to return with professional verification, and staff said the village’s water‑use app can be configured to provide household alerts that customers may adopt to detect spikes sooner.

What happens next: Abbottz may secure a plumbing inspection and resubmit the claim; the village indicated that credits are considered on a case-by-case basis and must align with the adopted policy.