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ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION - MAY 17, 2021 12 Councilmember Scott agreed. Councilmember McClung said he lives right across from the resident and that amount of water coming through would have damaged the unit and the two neighboring units. He didn't notice any type of work going on at the home so he is inclined to believe her. Finance Director Bauman clarified the property they were talking about was 1400 Arden View Drive. The 3,000 gallons per hour she said went through her meter in an hour was incorrect, that was over a 13-hour period. The bill for the 3rd quarter in 2020 was just over $750. Councilmember Scott said because she was never sent a leak letter he was willing to write it off and bill her at the nominal rate. City Administrator Perrault added that they have nothing to indicate they had a bad reading from the property on Arden View Drive, or that the meter wasn't working or transmitting properly. The meter bench tested within 1 %. The other account was a renter/landlord situation and they weren't getting a read in November/December. It is unclear if there was a problem the tenants or landlord fixed or if the tenants notified the landlord. There was nothing to indicate the meter was registering the water incorrectly, it was an issue of the transmitter not receiving the reading. Councilmember Holmes stated that she was hesitant to write the bills off, being as the meters were tested and reading correctly. She isn't convinced that the meters weren't properly measuring water, and she'd like to probe it a little further. Mayor Grant asked if there was a leak, what is the frequency that the City contacts the residents. Finance Director Bauman responded that when they go through the leak letter process they are only looking at the previous 24 hours. They only go through the leak alert process as a courtesy six to 12 times a year. If a leak is off during the time the data is pulled they wouldn't get a letter even if they do have a leak happening. Arden View Drive never showed a leak, and wouldn't have received a letter. Councilmember Holden mentioned that it is a courtesy to send the letters, it's not mandated so it's not that they didn't receive a letter so they shouldn't get billed. Mayor Grant asked if a read on a house is abnormally high, do they determine the number of gallons sent during the read is actually what is on the meter. Finance Director Bauman said that was correct. City Administrator Perrault added that staff would only go into the house to physically look at the meter if the resident thought there was an issue with the meter. Typically for just abnormal water usage staff is not sent to the house. Councilmember McClung said they do have some drainage issues in the area of the house and some people have sump pumps. The amount of water that would need to come out of a hose to generate that reading would have pooled and become very noticeable.