City of Charlotte
Water Bill
5-10-2025
Utility y
5-1-2/25
Water Disconnected 5-1-2025
5-1-2024
October 26,2024
10519 Pickerel laneCharlotte NC 28213
hemalshahusa@gmail.com
980-451-2605 Mobile
704-547-8379 Home disconnected
Date: 3-15-2026
To:
Charlotte Water Customer Service
Charlotte Water
5100 Brookshire Blvd
Charlotte, NC 28216
Subject: Formal Dispute of Water Bill – Request for Itemized Explanation
Dear Charlotte Water Customer Service,
I am writing to formally dispute charges on my water account [Account Number: __________] and request a full, detailed explanation of the billing.
1. Payment Already Made
On December 16, 2025, a payment of $190.38 was issued on my behalf by the Crisis Assistance Ministry. However, my January 5, 2026, statement lists a previous balance of $252.45, which appears to ignore the December payment. A copy of the payment confirmation/receipt is attached.
2. Additional Activity Charges
The January statement includes “Additional Activity” of $48.30, with no explanation of what these charges represent. It is unclear if these are late fees, service charges, disconnect/reconnect fees, or other adjustments. I request a complete itemized breakdown for these charges.
3. Disputed Amount
Until this matter is clarified, I formally dispute the accuracy of my bill, particularly the following:
Previous balance: $252.45 (should reflect December payment)
Additional activity: $48.30 (requires itemized explanation)
4. Requested Action
Please provide the following:
Written confirmation that the December 16, 2025 payment of $190.38 has been applied to my account.
A full, itemized statement explaining the $48.30 “Additional Activity” charges.
Adjust my account to reflect proper charges, removing any unjustified fees or penalties if the payment was not applied.
Please treat this as a formal billing dispute under North Carolina law. I request a response within 14 business days. If the issue is not resolved, I will escalate the matter to:
North Carolina Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division
Charlotte City Council
North Carolina Utilities Commission
Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter.
Sincerely,
Hemal Shah
Account # 683121-327640
1. Timeline and reported bills
From your numbers:
| Month | Reported Bill | Notes/Discrepancy |
|---|---|---|
| January | $60.18 | Normal charges + $48.30 unexplained “additional activity” |
| February | $190.38 | You expected ~$48–$50, so overcharge ~$82 |
| March | $47.89 | Normal low-usage bill |
| Total March due date 3/29 | $238.27 | Carries previous balance |
Your calculation:
238.27 − 60.18 = 177.99
January $60.18 + February $190.38 + March $47.89 = 298.45
Expected total = 60.18 + 177.99 + 47.89 = 286.06
Difference = 298.45 − 286.06 = $12.39 unexplained
And for February:
February bill shows $130.20 in some reports, when it should be ~$48–$50
Difference = ~$82 overcharge
2. What this means
The main problems:
Payments not applied correctly
Your December 2025 payment ($190.38) may never have been credited. This creates “phantom” previous balances.
“Additional activity” unexplained
$48.30 in January is not justified or itemized.
February charges are inconsistent
You expected $48, but they charged $130.20
This is likely because the system added previous unpaid balances + penalties again incorrectly.
Cumulative errors
When bills are misapplied over 5 years, the system compounds errors, creating very high balances that are not supported by actual usage
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