An elderly Weslaco woman’s water could be shut off, even though she paid her water bill ten days early.
"All I know is they say that I haven't paid for it, and I did!" said Maria Elena Cantu.
Mrs. Cantu has been trying to get that message across for days after her water supply company threatened to shut off her water.
They told her they never received her payment.
But Mrs. Cantu has all the proof in the world.
After showing copies of receipts and the money order she sent in the mail, we called Western Union to confirm the money order was cashed.
“This item was cashed on August 8th, 2012,” said the Western Union automated system, proving Mrs. Cantu’s water bill was received, and cashed.
But according to Military Highway Water Supply, they say they were not the ones who cashed it.
We spoke with management at the water company and showed them the proof Mrs. Cantu provided.
"I need to find out what happened,” said Mrs. Cantu. “Where did it go? Where did my money go?"
Management at Military Highway Water Supply said they will immediately start auditing all of their accounts to make sure Mrs. Cantu's payment was not accidentally put toward someone else's bill.
However, they also recommended Mrs. Cantu to pay a $30 dollar tracking fee to Western Union in order to figure out who cashed her money order.
But that suggestion did not settle well with this customer.
"After all, I can't afford it,” said Mrs. Cantu. “We're elderly people that can't afford to pay anything else. Once we pay our bills, that's it until next month!"
The water company said they would reimburse Mrs. Cantu that $30 dollars if they were indeed the ones who received the money order.
However, the company said if the money order was cashed by someone else, the problem is out of their hands.
Until then, they promised to leave Mrs. Cantu’s water on until the investigation is resolved.
"I want them to leave me alone, to check it out real good!" said Mrs. Cantu.
TV Station Profiles & Public Inspection Files forKGBT