Plymouth Board orders Red Rock Inn owner to pay disputed $5,600 water bill pending investigation

The Plymouth Board of Public Works and Safety has ordered the owner of the Red Rock Inn to pay an exceptionally high water and sewer bill of over $5,600, though a partial credit may be issued pending an investigation into a reported leak and the accuracy of the property's water meter.

Nilesh Patel, the New Jersey-based owner of the motel, appeared before the board on April 13th to request forgiveness for two recent utility bills totaling $2,300 and $4,901. Patel claimed he never received the larger bill and argued that the charges were the result of a faulty meter that continued to run even after the water was shut off.

According to Patel, he was notified of a water leak in one of the motel rooms by restaurant staff and a Plymouth Police officer. He stated he drove to Plymouth that night and requested the utility department shut off the water, which they deferred until the following morning. His staff reportedly repaired the leak shortly after.

Plymouth Utility Superintendent Donny Davidson defended the meter's accuracy, noting it passed its standard five-year inspection in April 2023. The main six-inch line feeds both the motel and the adjacent restaurant, which uses a deduct meter to pay its portion. Davidson stated there was no indication of high usage on the restaurant's side, and the Water Department has been unable to locate evidence of the massive leak Patel described. Historically, bills ranged from $1,500 to $2,000 when the motel was fully operational.

While Patel did pay the initial $2,300 bill, Councilman Don Ecker noted that an ACH payment for the $4,900 bill was reversed after Patel issued a stop payment. Clerk-Treasurer Lynn Gorski explained that this resulted in a $245.09 return fee, plus a late fee added on April 5th. As of the April 13th meeting, the outstanding balance had reached $5,627.03.

The board gave Patel a strict deadline, ordering him to pay the full $5,627.03 balance before 9 a.m. on April 15th to avoid an additional $30 penalty.

However, the board offered a potential compromise: if the Utility Department determines the water from the leak went into the ground rather than down the drain, the city will credit the sewer portion of the bill. Davidson confirmed his department would immediately test the meter and conduct a usage comparison to help determine if there was a legitimate leak or if the meter malfunctioned.