Crystal Lake Apartment residents receive second notice of water shut off within two weeks

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT)-Residents of Crystal Lake Apartments are receiving a second notice of their water being shut off, within a two-week time span. MWA says the complex is still not paying its water bill, and has an outstanding past due balance.

The first of the month is next Friday, and residents say they have a tough decision to make. Do they pay rent, or do they use that money to move?

Shirley Williams has lived in Crystal Lake Apartments for one year, but after waking up this morning to another water shut-off notice, she says it was a wake up call.

“Crystal Lake use to be a nice place a long time ago. Everyone wanted to move to Crystal Lake. Well, I’m in Crystal Lake. Now I’m ready to move out of Crystal Lake,” says Williams.

MWA Chief Financial Officer Guy Boyle says the complex has an outstanding past due balance of almost $40,000. $22,000 is the remaining balance from the last overdue bill, and the current billing cycle brings the total to $40,000.

“As we’re learning, and learning more, this situation has really snowballed and blossomed into something no one has prepared for,” Macon-Bibb County Commissioner Virgil Watkins said.

Boyle says the complex is not sticking to its payment plan, hence the water is being turned off March 15th.

MWA is giving residents a 30 day notice. During the next 30 days either the complex needs to pay the bill or tenants need to move out.

“I hadn’t planned on moving [any] time soon, but it’s like we’re being forced to move. It’s aggravating. It’s not cheap to move. It’s not cheap finding somewhere to stay. It’s hard,” Williams said.

She said she’s tired of notices, and the general lack of repairs and maintenance for her home.

“I’ll be looking for an eviction notice at the end of the month because I’m not paying rent in a place that’s not safe to be living in. It’s not safe with mold and water going on and off,” she said.

Watkins says management has a court date March 1st, for the complex’s past code violations that were never fixed.

He says the city is making changes with code enforcement. Every 10 years, code enforcement will have to do complex inspections.