Earlier this week my water was shut off by Lakehurst Water Company on two seperate occassions. I had not recieved even one phone call from thier organization nor any notice that my water was to be shut off, so I was quite surprised to wake Monday morning to see a man in my front yard turning off my water.

I had recieved a past due notice from them on Oct. 4 which I went to their office and paid in full. I knew the check had not cleared our bank account after more than a week, but kept assuming it would go through any day so felt their was no need to worry. I also assumed if there had been a problem the water company would contact me and let me know before taking any action against me. I was clearly wrong about that assumption.

I asked the man in my front yard why he was shutting my water off and he answered that it was due to non-payment. He stated there was nothing he could do about it, but I could call the office to speak with someone to get it turned back on. I called and spoke with the district manager who basically told me my check was returned for insufficient funds. I was dumb founded as I had no knowledge of the check being returned by my bank nor the water company but thought perhaps we somehow miscalculated the amount of money in our account or misplaced the notification letter somehow.

In early September, I gave birth to a beautiful baby girl we named "Madelyn". She was born three weeks early which although considered full term has still had some medical difficulties. She was born with a very immature digestive system that has caused her to be on mediation and presciption hypo-allergenic formula. I had a high risk pregnancy with her and was on bed rest for a portion of it. Between my not being able to work all that time, the medical bills, prescriptions and special formula, finances have been tight to say the least and we got behind on some of our bills.

Due to our circustances and the choas currently in our lives, I knew there was a possibility we had recieved another notice and had misplaced it in our files somehow. Basically out of shock and panic about not having any water with a newborn in the house we agreed we would come by that day and pay an amount of $125.00 in cash and have the remaining amount to them asap. I actually did have the means to pay the full amount to them on a credit card but was told they did not accept them and a check would also not be accepted due to the returned check we had already given them so cash was our only option. This was told to me by the district manager " Steve" who acted as though he was giving me a break and being very nice and compassionate for letting us bring him the partial amount that day as inconvenient as it was for us. It did not seem that he cared very much about me having a newborn baby in the house whose life could be endangedered wihtout water in the home. It was either pay that amount or we were up a creek without a paddle.My husband had to leave his job that day which is a 40 mintue drive from the water comany to cash a check and drive there to give it to them. "Steve" also said there should be a pink notice on my door stating the shut off but I was standing in my doorway at the exact moment and told him there was nothing there. I then heard him radio in to the man in front of me shutting off my water to give me the notification which walked up to me and did.

I knew my husband was to be paid today (Friday the 16th) and was planning on bringing the remaining balance to them. I thought this was understood by everyone involved as well and that there would be no further action without speaking to us first.

Yesterday morning I awoke to my water shut off once again and another pink notice haning on my front door knob. I simply broke down and cried as I could not believe this was happening. I called the water company again to speak with "Steve" again who had an entirely different tune than he did 2 days prior. You see, I had a left a message to him earlier in the morning which he did not return, saying I was appalled they had not called and spoken with me before shutting off my water again and stated I might give " Tom Martino" a call. "Steve" made it very clear he was angry about me possibly calling "Tom" and stated that "I should be very careful who I talk to about this matter!" He threatened me! I hate to admit it but I started yelling at him in defense as I was frantic due to my daughter having to possibly go another day without water in the home. I asked him "How am I supposed to feed her when her formula needs water to be made?" I explained that her life could be in danger without water as I needed it to feed her. He first told me to go to the store and buy water and then said if I had accomidations for it than he might let me fill a couple jugs at the house but I was not impressed with either of these offers. He then claimed when he spoke with my husband that my husband had basically told him not to speak with me and that I was basically crazy and insinuated that he agreed with him......I thought this was absolutely obsurd to begin with and highly unproffessional on "Steve's" part. My husband told me what actually had happened was that "Steve" had called him and started yelling about the "Tom Martino" thing and my hubby just trying to diffuse the situaiton had said "don't worry about that, you are speaking to me now" but obviously never stated anything against me. I find it interesting that if "Steve" really felt 100% sure that he was doing th right thing morally, ethically and professionally then why would he w care so much that one of us might contact "Tom Martino"?.....hhhmmmm.

Due to the fact that I was told nothing could be done without payment in cash in full to get my water turned back on, I had my Father in CT. interrupt his work day and go to Western Union to wire me some money. I then went to their office and paid them in full. I was infuriated I had to go there but what choice did I have?

You will never believe this but when I arrived home from making my payment I recieved the shut off notification in the mail!! Again, this is the only notification we have recieved from them since our past due notice in early October. The most amazing thing about this letter though is that it stated my payment was not even due until today's date (11/16) and shut off was not to occur until tomorrow morning at 9 a.m. This means that I not only should have had water this entire week but that I could have easily paid them today being the day my husband was to be paid. I was harassed, threatened and coerced into paying this amount due to keep my daughter's life out of danger and it wasn't even neccessary!! "Steve" could have informed me of this but chose not to and obviously assumed I did not check my statements very closely when I receive them.

I called this morning to speak with "Steve" and was told he is out of the office today. The receptionist claimed there was a letter attached to the first pink notice I got notifiying shut off. I told her there was nothing attached to the pink notice and no possibility it even fell off becuase that was the pink notice the man personally handed me in my doorway. For starters, I feel that even if such a letter did exist it would not be irrelevant considering the notice I recieved yesterday (apparently got held up in the mail they claim) stated my payment was not evendue until todays date 11/16 and shut off to occur on 11/17. Also if they were planning on giving me such a letter is it really thier policy to give it to the person on the day the water is being shut off and not much the customer can do about it?

I sternly feel what was done to me and my family was wrong and extremely unethical and immoral. I also have a feeling it was illegal for them to shut off my water at random the way they did. Perhaps "Steve" knew he would not be in the office on Friday and thought handling all the shut offs at the beginning of the week would be easier for him....

My daughters life was endangered and they simply did not care. They treated me as though I was unworthy of their time and sympathy and tried to make it out that I was an unfit Mother for letting my water be shut off.

I certainly hope this letter will have an impact and that something can be done so that this never happens again to anyone.

Sincerely,

Kelly Murphy, devoted and outraged Mother