JEANERETTE, La. (KLFY) – Some residents in Acadiana are shocked after receiving their utility bill after seeing massive charges for their water use.

Jeanerette residents Gloria Young and Ella Mae Bernard received massive utility bills within the last month.

Bernard’s bill totaled more than $900 and Young’s bill totaled more than $4000.

Bernard is 77 years old. Her daughter, Lucille Bernard, is taking care of her.

Lucille Bernard and Young say they have spoken to Jeanerette Mayor Aprill Foulcard.

They said Foulcard told them the massive charges could be due to a broken meter.

“She said well you have a broken meter. So I said okay. She said so you don’t have to pay the bill because it’s not your fault,” Young said.

While they waived Young’s charges, Bernard said she just received her bill. The first payment is due October 15.

“Why should we pay on someone else’s mistake? It wasn’t our mistake. You all billed us, we paid it. Now you come back and tell us we didn’t pay enough?” Lucille Bernard said.

Bernard said the city is billing her from charges back in 2012, but she said she hasn’t missed a payment.

“If we had a balance we would have been turned off a long time ago. But we wasn’t turned off. How can you go back and read the meter from 2012?” Lucille Bernard said.

News Ten reached out to Mayor Foulcard for a comment. She did not return our calls.