She’s getting soaked.
An aged Queens resident may lose her residence after the Division of Environmental Safety slapped her with a $22,828.71 water invoice — which she claims is totally inaccurate.
Margaret McGowan, 86, says she had by no means paid greater than $85 a month for the 50 years she’s lived at her Flushing residence — however after the DEP shut her water meter off for about two years due to some repairs, they again charged her roughly $850 a month for that point.
It was a sum that will have represented about 10 swimming swimming pools of water a month for the seniors’ small residence if correct, based on her supporters.
“It was a shock to me to get the bill that high . . . plus interest is accrued,” stated McGowan.
Now, after two denied appeals with the DEP, the Queens house owner faces her last attraction with the Water Board.
State Senator John Liu (D-16) and State Meeting member Ed Braunstein joined McGowan in entrance of her residence this morning to demand the DEP take duty for its wrongdoing.
“DEP not only needs to cancel this ridiculous $22,000 bill. They need to issue an apology to Mrs. McGowan,” stated Senator Liu, who expressed concern that this may very well be occurring to different metropolis residents.
Hassle began in January of 2022, when the DEP found an gear challenge at Mrs. Mcgowan’s residence and froze her invoice for 2 years whereas the company remedied the meter downside.
As soon as it was resolved in January of 2024, the company despatched a again invoice for the elapsed time for the jaw-dropping determine.
Regardless of McGowan’s a number of makes an attempt to attraction the cost – the DEP has not accepted duty. The company has even threatened to place a lien on her residence if she doesn’t pay the quantity in full.
The company maintains that the sky-high invoice will need to have been a results of an unknown leak at McGowan’s residence – however lawmakers scoffed on the concept.
“That would be ten swimming pools, and their suggestion that there was some kind of leak – Could you measure if there were 10 swimming pools of water a month of leaks?” Quipped Meeting Member Braunstein.
“The whole neighborhood would know. That clearly didn’t happen.”
Senator Liu shared that even McGowan’s financial institution has inspired her to pay the monstrous debt to keep away from motion being taken in opposition to her residence.
“This is a serious threat to Mrs. McGowan’s ownership of her own home, a long-time ownership. So not only is DEP digging its heels in on an indefensible position – they are now threatening Mrs. McGowan with the loss of her long-time home, totally outrageous and unacceptable,” stated Liu.
McGowan doesn’t presently have authorized counsel however says she’s working with an auditing company to assist her with the continuing battle.
“I just don’t understand what’s going on. I really need the help,” she stated.
In response to McGowan’s claims a spokesperson for the DEP instructed The Publish:
“There are no issues with the meter itself and the high bill in question is based on elevated consumption at the property. However, this matter has been appealed to the NYC Water Board and we are reviewing what can be done to assist this customer.”
