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9 Investigates questions City Council candidate who went months without paying for water

ST. CLOUD, Fla. — A man running for St. Cloud City Council told 9 Investigates he never once checked the details of his water bill during the six years he went without paying for a single gallon.

The city of St. Cloud was only able to collect a year's worth of back-billing from Chuck Cooper.

Meanwhile, Cooper’s campaign mailers continue to complain about water fees.

Channel 9' tracked him down in person and asked him why voters should trust him.

The City Council hopeful claims he spends most of his time living with friends and family members.

"I don't use much water. I'm a low user. I'm not even at my house,” Cooper said.

He said that’s why he didn’t think it was strange to get an unusually low water bill every month for six years.

“I never saw it because I paid the bottom bill that it tells you what you owe. That's what you pay,” Cooper said.

Cooper served on the city's Code Enforcement Board for 12 years, and was the head of the board during the time he wasn't paying for the water he used.

“I paid the water bill every month. I paid exactly what they called for,” Cooper said.

Cooper has paid back one year's worth of water usage—which added up to about $62.

It’s all city policy allowed water workers to collect.

Cooper said he'd support a new policy that would allow debts like his to be collected in full.