BWP’s letters feel like harassment

I agree with letter writer Steve Urbanovich, about Burbank Water and Power’s comparison ignoring demographics. My husband and I are also retired. We are 65 and 71 and we’ve lived in the same house for 40 years. We receive the utility’s letters and they feel like harassment.

We have made these energy-conserving upgrades: double-paned windows, insulation, new texture coat and energy-efficient air conditioning/heat, appliances, light bulbs. All our sprinklers are on timers, we water after 6 p.m. and before 6 a.m. We take “boat showers.” We keep our air-conditioning thermostat at 75; sometimes it never kicks on until the afternoon. We keep the doors and windows open to cool things down in the evening. I hear the neighbors’ air conditioning going at 6 a.m. and it’s going all day while they are off to work. Our heat in the winter is set at 60 at night 68 during the day.

One neighbor has a pool and four people living there. The other neighbor rents out to people. I think the BWP usage reports are inaccurate. How could we possibly use more energy than our neighbors? Granted, our TVs are on, but not all day.

Like my husband says, “we should be getting some kind of break for being on a fixed income.” But you have to be destitute to qualify. We’ve done all we can and we’re not going to change the quality of our life to suit the BWP and you shouldn’t either, Mr. Urbanovich.

Kathy Simons
Burbank