STEELTON, DAUPHIN COUNTY, Pa. - More than 50 people in Steelton are without water after the borough shut it off. The borough says, it's because their landlord, Rick Kaylor, failed to pay water bills. However, Kaylor says, that's not the case.
It was Monday morning, when tenants of Kaylor's discovered their water had been turned off.
"Went to the bathroom, went to flush and it didn't flush," said Megan Brunner. "Went to wash my hands and we didn't have water."
In a Facebook post, the borough says the shutoffs are because Kaylor racked up $60,000 in unpaid water bills. However, Kaylor tells FOX43 that's not the full story.
"The only communication I have is they turned the water off because they're upset I didn't make a $2,000 payment in May," said Kaylor.
The borough says Kaylor has defaulted on payment plans in the past. Kaylor tells FOX43, he entered a payment plan with the borough in October 2018. He says, after two water pipes, on two difference properties burst causing unexpected high water bills. Kaylor says, he's paid the borough $2,000 a month as part of their October payment plan agreement. He didn't pay the $2,000 for May because he says, the borough received a $5,800 property settlement check from him, which he thought would cover the May payment.
"They're not looking at it that way, they want a separate check, I guess," said Kaylor. "They're not talking to me so, I truly don't know."
The borough says the water authority sent 30-day notices to Kaylor and his tenants on May 23rd. However, Kaylor and his tenants say they've received nothing.
"I'd like to see the proof. Are there pictures of our door with notices? Are there records of phones calls," asked Brunner. "Because I didn't receive one and I know many other tenants that I talked to, no one received anything."
Brunner, a tenant of Kaylor's says, the borough told her she could pay 1/3 of her property's bill to get water restored. But, because she lives in a building with four apartments, she can't just pay for her unit. She would have to pay $1,900 for her entire building, something she can't swing. What she was told is more than what Kaylor says he's gotten from the borough.
"I flat out asked, "What's it going to take to resolve this," said Kaylor. "And I have not gotten a response yet."
Kaylor says if it's just the $2,000 the borough says he missed for May, he would pay that immediately.
FOX43 did request an interview with someone from the Steelton Borough to discuss this situation, but they were unavailable for an interview.
