Pasco County’s Clerk of Court and Comptroller, Paula O’Neil, has ordered an Inspector General to look into the County’s billing of a couple that has been reported in the media this week.

New Port Richey, FL, October 1, 2014 – In response to the media coverage of the Pasco County utility bill concerns, the Clerk & Comptroller is deploying the Inspector General to gather facts about the utility billing system and process. As an independent constitutional officer, the Clerk & Comptroller serves as the county watchdog. If any Pasco County utility customer has a water billing concern, email waterbill@pascoclerk.com. This will be a thorough process that will include gathering facts to determine whether there are billing, meter, reading, or other issues.

Also, WTSP is reporting on a story they previously covered with billing difficulties at Pasco County Utilities.

The couple, Louise Gritmon and Gene Foy, were hit with a $3,300 water bill this week after just 18 days of owning their new home in Pasco County just west of Starkey Road.

Pasco officials have previously insisted that the bill is legitimate and the customers will be charged accordingly. Pasco County Administrator Michele Baker has put a halt on efforts to collect the bill while the investigation proceeds.

The bill suggests that over 600,000 gallons of water have been used at the home over 18 days, a nearly mathematically impossible scenario.

By Jon Tietz