An Algiers couple merely wanted to pay their water bill.  And after finding out the bill was being estimated by the Sewerage and Water Board, they plead to have their meter read.

All that Kathleen and Carl Nettleton wanted was an accurate water bill. Carl is blind and has other health problems that require high water usage, so a series of estimated bills had them worried that eventually they would get an astronomical bill in the mail, but they couldn't believe what they were told when they asked the Sewerage and Water Board to read the meter.

"The house is over 50 years-old,” Kathleen Nettleton said. “Wouldn't you be surprised if suddenly they told you they can't find it? Which is what they told me."

That was a year ago, and they found the receptacle partly covered by a sidewalk installed by the city before Hurricane Katrina. They uncovered it, and thought the problem was solved.

"When did they finally come out and read the meter? In April. last April. A year ago,” Kathleen Nettleton said. “How many times since then? None."

When they realized the bills were for the same amount each month, with no water usage shown, they got worried again about facing a big bill when the meter was finally read.

"We’ve called them month after month after month,” Carl Nettleton said, “and they’ve probably got it listed on their computer that these people are calling about this saying that the meter has not been read, estimating the water usage that were using in this house for over a year.

That's when they called me.  But when we decided to look at the meter, all we could find was an empty hole, with soil at the bottom. Even when we tried to stir it up, we couldn't find the meter. Well, this was a little unusual for an Action Report.

I contacted the Sewerage and Water Board, and a supervisor was quickly on the scene, with bad news. We -- the Nettletons and I -- had not found a meter, but a cut-off valve. But then the supervisor from the Sewerage and Water Board couldn't locate the meter.

"There’s somebody from the Sewerage and Water Board here,” Kathleen and Carl Nettleton said, “and he’s saying that that’s a cut off or something, and he can’t find the meter either.”

But their laughter died when the supervisor said a crew would have to be called to find the meter, and dig it up so it can be read, which made them wonder whether they have received an accurate water bill since Hurricane Katrina.

"It’s worrisome that they’re going to come to us with a two or three thousand dollar bill,” Carl Nettleton said.

"No, I don’t want to see this bill,” Kathleen Nettleton said. “No, I don’t. I can’t imagine what it’s going to be. I’m trying not to think about it.

Now they're waiting to see what the meter will tell them when it is found, and praying it won't be a budget-buster. I'll let you know what happens.