Complaints

The complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:10/01/2024

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  This company has been victimizing the residents of my neighborhood for some time. Today, despite being fully paid and never late, they shut off my water at home with no warning. They did so because they claim we should have already known that we needed to pay a plumber for "backflow" testing. Something I have never heard of, no have any of my friends and family who are homeowners all over ***. I found out from my wife who arrived home with no water, I immediately called and spoke with their emergency technician. I tried to explain that I live with a 7 year old, 3 dogs and my wife is a local teacher. we cannot be without water indefinitely. He is the one who told me we didn't get any notice because we "should have been told when we moved in" he also said it was a yearly requirement, we've lived here for 3 years. I was pleading with him for help and he hung up on me. I called him back and his behavior was abysmal. I did reach out to a plumber who understood the urgency and said he's helped people like me out before and Culleoka has been very responsive, yet they decided not to help me. I ask that they correct this issue ASAP and compensate me for the trauma they put our family through.I also feel the need to point out that I suspect they are guilty of illegal price gouging and have been massively overcharging us and pocketing the overhead or spending it on lavish parties despite claiming to be non profit. I recommend a much closer look at their books and finances.

  Business Response

  Date: 10/11/2024

  Complaint # ***********A-***** ********
  10/09/2024-
  
  1) Shut-off with no warning when monthly bill was current- *** ********** water service was not suspended due to a delinquent account. ******************** was suspended for Non-compliance of backflow inspection.

  2) Unaware of requirement to test backflow annually- The backflow testing requirement is on the Service Agreement that is required to be signed, before service can be set-up and provided.  ************ started in 2021 and at that time, we were in our infancy of setting-up the backflow requirement. Bridgewater (Lennar Homes) was the 1st subdivision in our service area to start putting sprinkler systems,which are required to be tested. The home builders are responsible to send the information and 1st test results to Culleoka Water Supply Corporation (CWSC).************************** is an independent company who we have partnered with to help notify each customer of the backflow testing due date each year. Each customer who has a backflow receives 2 letters, a month apart before the system is in violation. SC Tracking sends an immediate notice to CWSC, if any of the notices they send are returned for any reason. (IE: bad contact information,undeliverable, no receptacle, etc. No such notification was received to ****************, nor did they issue such a notice to us, per SC Tracking.) Once the address goes on the violation list, we are forwarded the list from SC Tracking and CWSC sends a final courtesy notice by email, with a cut-off date,urging the resident to schedule a backflow test to avoid shutoff. *** ******** receives his communication, including notices and monthly bills, through ******** the documentation attached you will see the notice sent, the email used,being the same as his billing email and the confirmation of delivery of this notice to the same email. Please note that the notice contains the shut-off date, $75.00 shut-off charge and the notice of no after-hours turn-ons are done for backflow violations. Our Tariff & regulations require that once the service is in violation after notification, because it is considered a health risk to the water system, water is not restored until a passing test can be provided or a failed backflow is repaired by a certified BAPT. Please see attached documentation.)

  3) *********** tech, who was on emergency call that evening, notified *************** of *** ******** phone call and the level of his frustration and anger spoken to him by *** ********.Please see attached office voicemail messages left for the **** staff from ***********.

  4) Price gouging- CWSC conducts independent rate studies on a regular basis to evaluate all rates and compares to other water districts with comparable conditions, growth,operations, ect. Such a rate study was just completed for **** and reviewed in September 2024. Please see attached rate charts of this study.

  5) Lavish parties and spending with income from over-priced rates- We are unaware of what lavish parties *** ******* is speaking of. Recent ************ post comments refer to all the lavish parties, boasting of $7500.00 in liquor spent alone. **** is audited annually by independent audit firms of all financials and accounts. **** has never had any questions or indications of any impropriates. If *** ******** is referring to any community event to benefit our customers, such as *** *******,they are sponsored by local and corporate businesses, community members and volunteers who donate to make the event possible. A "Thank You" list is displayed with the sponsors, volunteers & other individuals whose participation made it all possible. 

  We appreciate *** ********* concerns and hope this provides him and others with a better understanding of these concerns.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:09/11/2023

  Type:Customer Service Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  This is a co-op water company that we have no choice to use bc we live outside city limits. Theyve cut off our water with notice all the times and what Im looking is a credit or refund ** in July we went for 5 days without drinking water. Calls were made to the company and were met with no turn around time and that were still waiting for the labs to come back. Theyve come out with a notice that usage conservation restriction a month later. However thats only for watering outside. They are unprofessional and keep turning off water to residents whenever they want. They need to be investigated for unethical practices.

  Business Response

  Date: 09/11/2023

  Good Afternoon.

  We are a member owned private utility company with a state issued CCN that provides water within that CCN that Ms. ****** lives within.

  I have reviewed ****************** account and have no record of her water ever being suspended. There are no fees for shut-off. Her account is in good standings. She has been late a few times but nothing that would cause her service to be singled out and suspended. There are no repairs, calls for service or problems of any kind.

  We did have a valve issue event this summer that effected the entire system. I have attached a timeline document that has been reviewed by state and federal entities. We not only met the required management of this event but went above and beyond what is required. In addition to what is included in the time line, a free water station was setup for CWSC customers within the City of Princeton making available free drinking water to our members. We called for water conservation from our members during this time and pressure did drop but at no time did we shut the water off. Ms. ****** was not singled out or treated without care and respect. The boil water notice was issued per state and federal requirement. We sent our samples off to the approved lab once the system pressure allowed us to take the samples. We had to continue the boil water notice until sample results were returned (Monday Morning). We had several callers who demanded a time as to when this would be over and we explained that we had to wait for the lab results to lift the boil water notice. We were notified Monday morning and immediately notified our members thru all avenues we have that the boil notice was lifted and the water came back safe for human consumption.  This Boil Water Notice was for "consumable water " only.

  It was an event that caused our members and ourselves, as we office and live on the system as well, an inconvenience that would have been avoided if at all possible. I am sorry that Ms. ****** felt that her concerns were not given the proper attention and that our responses were not convincing. It is never our intention to give anything but an honest answer and try to explain the process to members.