Water bills sent to 143 property owners asking them to pay more for water and the ensuring reaction came before Oliver Town Council Monday.

Those bills sent out in July, in most cases, was the first anyone knew of the new charges for water on property in the rural area, less than 1/2 acre and not assessed as farmland.

The increase was over 300 dollars in many instances. Previously the water for such lots was free.

Quite a shock to many with at least 30 phone calls to the Town’s finance department.

Council apologized for the lack of notice and adjusted the pay period so that customer had until November to pay the bill without penalty.