Mecklenburg County water company has a $58.00 delinquency fee vs $5.00 for Union County

To my amazement, I recently spoke with community members about the rising cost of the water bill. I was informed by many that their bills keep rising yet there has also been an outrageous delinquency charge. When I contacted the Mecklenburg County water and sewer company I learned that it is normal for them to charge a $58.00 charge for an $85.00 bill. In fact they charge one for any amount that has a 68 day balance. Even though they recently issued a 60 day bill late to residents and some were cut off. For example, if a senior is on social security and can not pay her bill not only do they cut off the water and charge a reconnect fee but they then charge her $58.00 every 68 days on top of that. What was more interesting is when I checked with our local Union County water company, "to my not surprise" I learned the neighboring county who can afford those outlandish fees had a delinquency fee of $5.00. Makes you wonder if this is not just more hurdles and just another way of keeping people in lower social classes from being able to do better. How do you justify charging anything over 10%-20% in interest on a utility bill. The law was recently changed to protect people from those pay day loans. Yet our own city council members approved this last July. I know it is time for our water company to be held accountable and this $58.00 delinquency fee needs to be refunded to every Mecklenburg resident.