POWAY, Calif. (AP) - A health district in San Diego County has rejected an $800,000 water bill after seven years of only being charged for 10 percent of what was actually used by one of its hospitals.
The San Diego Union-Tribune reports (https://bit.ly/1Tnmp3i ) that only last year did officials in the city of Poway catch the meter-reading error involving Pomerado Hospital, which is operated by Palomar Health District.
The error was traced to the 2008 installation of a multi-line meter. The meter’s face has six digits, but it was recorded as having only five digits.
The Poway City Council rejected a settlement offer of $150,000 and this week voted to file a claim against the district.
A claim is typically a precursor to a lawsuit. The health district declined comment due to pending litigation.
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