When Rose Mary Cook received her utility bill from the city of Mascoutah, she hoped it wouldn't be over her $200 average, so when the bill read $74,326.66, she nearly hit the floor.
The city claimed she used 10 million gallons of water -- the current estimated daily usage of drinking water for cities the size of Fargo, N.D.; Tacoma, Wash.; Des Moines, Iowa and Sioux Falls, S.D.
"Luckily, when I opened the bill, I was sitting down," Cook said. "I could have filled every pool in southern Illinois and still not used that much water."
In fact, Glen Canyon dam near the Arizona-Utah border stands 710-foot-tall and holds 10 million gallons of water from the Colorado River.
"My daughter asked me if I was hoarding water during the drought," Cook said. "I told her I would, but I don't know where I would find 10 million gallon jugs."
Cook owed $29,787 for water, $43,581 for sewer, plus $893 for municipal tax.
"And if it isn't paid by next Saturday, I owe $78,000," Cook said.
http://www.belleville.com/mld/belleville/news/local/12111740.htm
The city claimed she used 10 million gallons of water -- the current estimated daily usage of drinking water for cities the size of Fargo, N.D.; Tacoma, Wash.; Des Moines, Iowa and Sioux Falls, S.D.
"Luckily, when I opened the bill, I was sitting down," Cook said. "I could have filled every pool in southern Illinois and still not used that much water."
In fact, Glen Canyon dam near the Arizona-Utah border stands 710-foot-tall and holds 10 million gallons of water from the Colorado River.
"My daughter asked me if I was hoarding water during the drought," Cook said. "I told her I would, but I don't know where I would find 10 million gallon jugs."
Cook owed $29,787 for water, $43,581 for sewer, plus $893 for municipal tax.
"And if it isn't paid by next Saturday, I owe $78,000," Cook said.
http://www.belleville.com/mld/belleville/news/local/12111740.htm
