Change rarely comes easy — especially if it also means higher bills.

But as the city spends $160 million to install new water meters and launch a new billing system, officials from Baltimore's Department of Public Works are laboring to gain converts.

On Saturday, officials were at the Waverly branch of the Enoch Pratt Free Library, answering customer questions, pledging to resolve erroneous bills and introducing clients to a new website where they can track their water use.

The session was the second in a series the department plans to host each month in 2017, rotating to different libraries, in response to a spike in questions and complaints since it started moving its 400,000 water customers to the new system in October.

The switch was accompanied by a shift from quarterly to monthly billing, installation of new meters that transmit usage data wirelessly, and higher rates.

"People have been asking a lot more questions about their bill because it is new, because it is monthly," said spokesman Jeffrey Raymond. "The queries and complaints are up ... but we understand that."

As Baltimore switches to monthly water billing, some residents say they have received bills for tens of thousands of dollars more than they actually owe.

One homeowner in Baltimore's Medfield neighborhood got hit with a $35,000 water bill. Another in Northwest Baltimore received a bill for more...

As Baltimore switches to monthly water billing, some residents say they have received bills for tens of thousands of dollars more than they actually owe.

One homeowner in Baltimore's Medfield neighborhood got hit with a $35,000 water bill. Another in Northwest Baltimore received a bill for more...

The changes are part of a multiyear effort to upgrade the city's water system, which suffers from aging infrastructure and has been plagued by billing errors.

The new bills break out charges for items such as infrastructure or the stormwater fee. The city has also eliminated estimated billing and adopted a universal rate for water, with charges based on use.

Officials say the new system makes it easier to track water use and spot errors.

But there have been problems. Some residential customers have been billed incorrectly as much as $80,000. Others told The Baltimore Sun they had not received a bill under the new monthly system or that payments were not credited to their accounts.

Mayor Catherine Pugh acknowledged glitches in Baltimore's new water billing system Friday and outlined steps the city is taking to allow customers to track daily consumption, catch erroneous charges and receive better customer service.

Pugh was joined by officials from the Department of Public Works...

Mayor Catherine Pugh acknowledged glitches in Baltimore's new water billing system Friday and outlined steps the city is taking to allow customers to track daily consumption, catch erroneous charges and receive better customer service.

Pugh was joined by officials from the Department of Public Works...

Some of the customers at Saturday's session have yet to be convinced of the benefits.

"I hate it, capital H-A-T-E," said Juanita Boone, 55, who has lived in the city for more than 20 years, watching her water rates climb. "I figured, let me come and see what's going on."

Boone was one of about 30 people expected at Saturday's session in Waverly, which was ostensibly designed to introduce people to the new online portal tracking household water use. It drew customers for reasons that ranged from curiosity to concern about out-of-whack bills.

Barbara Wood, 67, of Northwood was among the first people in line for the appointments. She said the training was useful.

"I'm sad that the bills have gone up, but mine is within reason," Wood said. "It's OK. I know if there's an issue, I can go check."

"Knock wood," she said. "I haven't had an issue."

Ivy Branch, 47, isn't as lucky. A toilet that started leaking at the start of a billing period under the old system led to an enormous charge she's still trying to resolve. Branch said she hopes the monthly bills will prevent issues like hers from getting out of control.

"You don't have that information on the old system," she said.

Kenya Marshall, 42, of Lauraville walked out of her personal appointment with a smile, assured that an erroneous bill — also one that predates the new system — would finally be resolved. She said she's hopeful that the information offered by the new portal will prevent such problems from happening again.

"When you can see it, touch it, feel it, you can understand it," Marshall said.

nsherman@baltsun.com

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