Tenants Fear Water Shutoff Due To Tulsa Apartment Complex’s Unpaid $100,000 In Bills

Tenants at a Tulsa apartment complex worried their water will be shut off after getting a notice from the city. The City of Tulsa said the owners of Vista at Shadow Mountain owe more than $100,000 in unpaid water bills. 

A woman who lives at the complex said she's worried her water will be shut off, even though she has been paying her bill every month. She wants to know where her money has been going. 

Christen Powell said she was angry when she saw a notice from the City of Tulsa on her door, saying the water would be shut off on May 26th because the complex hasn't paid its bills.  

"It's frustration, it feels like they are hiding from us, like they knew this was going to happen and they just didn't tell us," Powell said. 

Powell said she pays her rent every month and a portion of that money is supposed to go toward water and utilities. She said she wants answers about where the money has been going. 

"Every time we pay rent, we are under the impression that we are also paying our water bill, so I don't know what they've been doing with that money if not paying the water bill," she said. 

The City of Tulsa released this statement about the unpaid bills: 

On May 4th, the City of Tulsa received an inadequate payment for water service at The Vista at Shadow Mountain apartment complex. The Vista property owners currently owe more than $100,000 for multiple months of accumulated unpaid water bills. As a result, on May 26th, water will be cut off at the facility. A water truck will be parked at the complex on May 26th for residents’ use. Water will be restored to the complex when payment is made in full.  The City of Tulsa has been in contact with the owner of the complex who has informed City of Tulsa staff that payment will be mailed on May 20th. 

Powell said she has five kids, and she's worried about what she would do without water. 

She said she did receive a text message from the property manager saying the tenants were not responsible for the bill, and the water wouldn't be turned off, but she said she wants an explanation. 

"Now everyone who lives here is faced with the possibility that we may not have water next week and that's not really fair," she said. 

News On 6 called the apartment complex for comment but have not heard back.