A south county man says the home he's building doesn't even have water, but he could be out $400 because the Metropolitan Sewer District is trying to bill him for an entire year of service.
John Janko of Sappington has spent years building the house on the site of his own childhood home in south St. Louis County.
"Nothing operational in the house yet," said Janko. "Here's the water lines and you can see they're still capped off from the inspection. No water coming in, there can't be any going out."
Janko hasn't received an MSD bill at the property since 2009, when his parents' old house was still standing on the lot.
So Janko wants to know why is MSD now trying to bill him hundreds of dollars?
After months of trying to get answers on his own, he turned to the I-team.
We found, when Janko connected water to the lot in 2016, MSD automatically started billing him, but he didn't get that bill until summer of 2017, when he first watered his newly seeded lawn.
"I have not used one ounce of their service. There's nothing going into their system to treat," said Janko.
An MSD spokesman told us there's nothing it can do. Once water is connected to a property, they have the right to start billing.
"I'd feel like they were stealing from me if I pay it," said Janko.
The I-team is now working with Janko's water company, Missouri American Water, to see if we can get his account to fall under an 'irrigation only' category.
The MSD spokesman said that is the only thing that would make them take a second look at Janko's outstanding account.
