PARMA, Ohio — Picture this: you go to the mailbox and find your latest water bill. You slip open the envelope and find an extra “0” on the amount you owe.
This had been happening at the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist in Parma since at least January 2017.
For months, the parish administration assumed the amount of water usage was being reported correctly and the parish simply had to pay for it.
However, during a recent monthly pastoral council meeting, members reviewed parish expenses and found that a few of the monthly bills stood out as unusually high — especially the water bill of $2,125.09.
The pastoral council determined that the water usage reported was far too steep for a complex in which 29 toilets, 39 sinks, 15 urinals, seven showers, a handful of drinking fountains, and one hot water boiler were never used at full capacity.
Deacon Gregory Loya decided to get to the bottom of this exorbitant bill — a feat much easier said than done — and called the Cleveland Division of Water. This public utility, which enjoys a monopoly in the area, maintained its reputation for its notoriously slow response rate.
But Deacon Loya persisted with the water department for several months until he found a supervisor who would listen. Workmen from the public utility came out to the cathedral and tested the main line. They determined there was a leak of about 8,500 gallons per day, somewhere between the outside meter and the building.
A company specialized in finding leaks was hired; their workmen determined the leak was near the Carlton Road entrance.
Thankfully, before any digging began, Deacon Loya and building manager Mike Caithaml did more investigating.
“Before You Dig” was called to determine whether any other water lines were coming off the main line, but nothing was found.
Another plumber came out for a consult and determined there was no leak. The water department was informed and workmen came out again and finally agreed with the results.
After two months of normal usage, the water department supervisor informed the deacon that there would be a “resolution” for the cathedral bill. The utility company went back to May 2017, and credited the cathedral a total of $18,300.
Why the “leak” ever happened is still a mystery, but the past five months of water bills have been well under $200 each, which is normal for this site.
It would have been easy to just give up, give into the utility company and pay thousands of dollars for water never used, but persistence produced a huge reward and the effort was well worth it.
In life, there are values for which people should stand firm: family, country and faith — and fair utility bills.
Caption: The Cathedral of St. John the Baptist in Parma, Ohio, disputed its exorbitant water bill and received a credit of $18,300. (Photo: David Bratnick)
As published in Horizons, Oct. 21, 2018. Sign up for the e-newsletter.