The town of Davidson announced Tuesday that trash pickups by the town’s contractor, Allied Waste, are delayed a day. Instead of Wednesday, trash will be picked up Thursday. Trash pickups are also delayed a day in Cornelius.

Also, a Goodwill donation drive at River Run has been rescheduled to this Saturday.

DONATION DRIVE SATURDAY

Meanwhile, last Saturday’s planned Goodwill Donation Drive in the River Run neighborhood was called off because of the bad weather. It has been rescheduled to this Saturday, Feb. 6, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the parking lot near the soccer field at Robert Walker Drive.

Residents from River Run and beyond are invited to clean out their closets and help fill up a Goodwill trailer. Goodwill accepts everything from gently-used clothing to household items, furniture and computers. The donations collected will be sold in Goodwill’s retail stores with proceeds funding the agency’s job training and employment services.

‘THE GENERAL': FILM WITH MUSIC

Saturday’s screening of the classic silent film “The General,” accompanied by ragtime pianist Ethan Uslan, also was canceled. It has been rescheduled to Saturday, Feb. 20, at 7 p.m. Details in our preview, in The Guide.

By STEVE HARRISON
The Charlotte Observer

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Utilities said it has shifted 10 employees to help identify and investigate possibly erroneous water bills, but the utility said it’s not planning to speed up the replacement of an electronic transmitter that has caused bad meter readings. Read the full story

Dramatic spikes in bills are traced to equipment glitches, too few staffers to investigate

By STEVE HARRISON
The Charlotte Observer

In late September, a Charlotte-Mecklenburg Utilities computer flagged a house on Mornington Drive in east Charlotte as having a potential erroneous water bill.

The house had consistently low bills dating to January 2004. In September, reported usage skyrocketed to more than eight times the monthly average. But a team of CMU employees that reviews flagged bills decided against investigating.

The bill went in the mail, shocking resident Erica Stitt. “My normal bill is, like, $30 or $40,” Stitt said. “This bill was, like, $400.”
Read the full story

Utility says faulty transmitters could be causing some higher charges, but most equipment is working fine. Customers skeptical.

Reprinted as part of DavidsonNews.net‘s news-sharing partnership with The Charlotte Observer.

By STEVE HARRISON
The Charlotte Observer

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Utilities said faulty electronic transmitters could be causing some unusually high water bills, but the department believes the vast majority of bill spikes are due to people using more water than they realize.

Faced with an increase in customer complaints about high bills, the Charlotte City Council asked Monday night whether the system is working, and what they should tell constituents.

About 1% get checked

CMUD, which has 260,000 customers, typically conducts 2,500 high-bill investigations annually. Some are conducted after residents complain; others are initiated by the department.

Read the full story

The town’s leaf vacuum truck is back on neighborhood streets after repairs, but pickups are lagging because of the recent wet weather, town officials say. Read the full story

By ALEX GREGOR
DavidsonNews.net

CORNELIUS – Residents of Davidson, Cornelius, and other parts of north Mecklenburg County gathered at Cornelius Town Hall Wednesday in hopes that representatives of Charlotte Mecklenburg Utilities (CMU) could answer questions about unusually high water bills and erratic water meter readings. CMU officials offered no general explanations, but pledged to continue working with homeowners to resolve any problems. Read the full story

By DAVID BORAKS
DavidsonNews.net

Some homeowners across north Mecklenburg have been surprised by unexpectedly high water bills in recent months, and they’re looking for answers. A group of Cornelius property owners has invited representatives of Charlotte Mecklenburg Utilities to a public meeting Wednesday in Cornelius in hopes of getting an explanation. Read the full story

Town of Davidson announcement
Leaf collection in town is on hold until Dec. 1 while the town’s leaf collection truck is being repaired. However, residents have the option of bagging leaves, instead of putting them by the curb. Bags are collected as part of the regular trash pickup on Wednesdays.