over billed by the town water department

[Scott Painter]

What is it going to take to get my bill correctly done going forward to reflect the per meter charge of the town ordinance and to get my $2453.15 overbilled amount credited back?

I have owned a 4 unit apartment building since June 2015 and have 1 water meter that I am responsible for. Last month my water bill went up by 50% so I called town hall. They did an audit and found out I had a 1 inch meter instead of a 3/4 inch meter which requires a higher base charge per meter. (A building with a 3/4 meter would allow enough water pressure for 2 showers at the same time.) The issue is the department was charging me a base per UNIT not per METER. My base went from $115.60 a month to 234.20 a month when it should have been $58.55 a month. I have talked to a secretary at the water treatment department who pulled up the town ordinances, emailed me a copy, and says this months bill should have been $150 instead of $326. (My 4 unit 8 miles away in another town was $158 last month.) Ordinances do not mention a unit charge. They charge a base rate plus a gallons used rate.  A 3/4 meter is $28.90 base, 1 inch is $58.55 base, 2 inch is $206,  3 inch is $463. So, in theory, the owner of a 100 unit complex (which doesn't exist in this town of 3500 people) would have a base water bill of $46,300 a month if they made this same error. Nobody would let that erroneous of a miscalculation go through. I have asked the secretaries in the billing department why my bill seems high to me, and the response has always been, "It is what it is." Nobody has ever explained how the billing works. 

 Do I start with the local utility, state utility regulation board or elected official?