Wasilla works to correct water, sewer utility billing error

WASILLA — If your city water and sewer bill was three times what it usually is this month, you’re not alone and the city is working on it.

Troy Tankersley, the finance director for the city of Wasilla, said that none of the money has actually been removed from anyone’s account and the city has not taken in any revenue. But a lot of people are being inconvenienced.

What happened was that a computer glitch led to customers being charged twice for this month and once for last month. The city immediately killed the billing process, but folks who are set up to have the money automatically removed from their accounts — something like 300 accounts, Tankersley said — did get notice the money was about to come out.

Which, for most banks means the money was put on hold and is not useable.

“It freezes the money on those accounts,” Tankersley said. “It can potentially create (insufficient funds) issue.”

He said he and his staff have been working today and Thursday to call all the banks that were affected. But with so many national chains operating in downtown, a lot of these banks are out of state. It’s taking some time.

The banks have assured him, though, that overdraft fees and other such charges will be forgiven. But people with low fund balances might have a rough few days.

“The banks are working with us as fast as we can get a hold of them,” he said.