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Anyone have ridiculous water bill this month?

10,023 Views | 62 Replies | Last: 5 yr ago by Aggieangler93
Gramercy Riffs
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Two months ago, my water usage jumped from ~8000 gallons to 14,500. This was during the month when we had all the rain, and my irrigation system was turned off entirely and we never had to add water to the pool. The next month we used what seemed like much more water, and we were billed for ~14,200. No way those bills should have been similar, regardless of how much higher they were. I disputed both of those months, and nothing came of it.

This month, it jumped to 36,800 gallons! Our bill went from $90 to $180 and now this month it's $480!! A dozen or so neighbors are having the same issue this month. One guy went from $200 to $850. Another went from $150 to $425. There's at least ten of them complaining about it on our neighborhood FB page.

I smell another KXAN report coming. Anyone else having issues with their August bill?
Potcake
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Holy crap y'all like water!! We've gone over 5,000 three times in the last year, last August and September, and then last month when we forgot to turn sprinkler off overnight. That was our high at 10,000. We water the front and back once a week and have a pool. Granted there are only two of us.
NoneGiven
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Mine about quadrupled.

Probably need to raise taxes to make sure these mistakes don't keep happening. Get it on the ballot folks!
Aggietaco
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Just checked because I don't pay it too much attention when the bill comes..

July - 5500
June - 3100
May - 3800
April - 3000

So my July usage was about 75% higher than June, but that's probably the first month I watered the yard at all.
Gramercy Riffs
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quote:
Holy crap y'all like water!! We've gone over 5,000 three times in the last year, last August and September, and then last month when we forgot to turn sprinkler off overnight. That was our high at 10,000. We water the front and back once a week and have a pool. Granted there are only two of us.

It's entirely possible that our lots are not the same size. We're below average on usage for our neighborhood. We average 8k and don't go over 9500. These last three months have obviously been mistakes.
Gramercy Riffs
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Here's the last 12 months:



There's a spike last September when we built the pool, and another in November when we filled it. The June bill covers the period where we had all the rain and everything was shut off for a month, so I disputed that charge. They blamed it on the pool (I didn't add water that month, nor did I run the sprinklers). July bill spiked again, and I called about that one too. Still nothing. That brings us to August. It's twice as high as the month when we filled the pool.

Something isn't right. It's WAY off. My neighbors have posted the same sort of data.
Potcake
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Have you checked to see if your meter is running when all water outlets are off?
Aggietaco
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That was going to be my question. I assume you've checked your water meter versus the predicted/projected/actual readings that show up on your statement? If they match, are you arguing that your meter is wrong?
LostInLA07
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Document your meter reading. Compare it to your bill.
hoosieraggie
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S
Yipers. My water bill was over 350.. Yes I used some water but not at that amount. I called and they are sending someone out to check meter in next couple of days. I pulled up manhole cover to check mine, it was covered up with dirt and leaves like no one had check it in several months...
Ag in tu land
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OP - You can bet they didn't actually read your meter the two prior months and under estimated your water usage. It wouldn't matter so much except for the graduated rates we pay.

I'd keep an eye on it and you could potentially argue for them to average it over three months but would the savings be worth the time or likelihood you don't win your argument.
87IE
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quote:
I smell another KXAN report coming. Anyone else having issues with their August bill?
There are a lot of folks in my neighborhood (and surrounding ones) that got hit with high bills.

I just checked mine and my August actually went down from July by 500 gallons.
Aggietaco
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Likely a meter correction issue. For those that don't know, they don't read everyone's meter every month. They guess at what your usage will be and every quarter or so when they bill to your actual usage, you get a bill spike.
NoneGiven
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quote:
Likely a meter correction issue. For those that don't know, they don't read everyone's meter every month. They guess at what your usage will be and every quarter or so when they bill to your actual usage, you get a bill spike.
And then you get royally ****ed because of the graduated billing.
LostInLA07
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That's fine except when the correction is charged at the higher graduated rate.
Aggietaco
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Never said it wasn't an issue, but the other option is to charge you another penny per gallon to send out more hipsters in Ford Escapes to check your meter on a monthly basis.
NoneGiven
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Or assume a spread and adjust accordingly
chipotle
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Ours doubled but:

1. Watered for the first time this year once a week 40 minutes each zone
2. Had a baby
3. Had family over for a few weeks

Sucks, but expected.
Gramercy Riffs
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It's already hit KXAN.
rather be fishing
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Pour a little food coloring the tanks of all of your toilets and see if it's running down into the bowl. A lot of the time the flappers wear out and there's no seal. Back when we lived in Leander (holy hell, talk about expensive water), we had 2 months of astronomical bills and I finally figure out that was the problem and it fixed it.
tlepoC
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Not water but they routinely don't bill me at all for 3 months and then send me a massive combined bill that is due in a couple days. I love Austin utilities
rather be fishing
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Austin is pretty good about accepting when they screw up. Just be sure to provide proof.
Gramercy Riffs
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We have no leaks. The toilets don't run. The faucets don't drip.

We were just told that Austin Water has admitted to issues with overcharging in our area. We'll see how this plays out.
Aggietaco
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quote:
It's already hit KXAN.
And another terrible reporting piece. No mention of if her billed meter reading matches the actual reading or not.
NoneGiven
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Spoke to someone this afternoon that claims they measure it every month. She wasn't too bright; so I wouldn't be surprised to learn she was wrong
wadd96
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Are you in Round Rock? I have a coworker with the same issue.

They are getting hit for an extra 3000 gallons every 2 days.

They had a plumber out to investigate. No luck so far.
All the God's, all the Heavens, all the Hells are within you.
Gramercy Riffs
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Southwest along 290 toward Dripping Springs. Several of us are now in Stage 2 of the dispute process (I've been down this road before with no results), and one neighbor has already been given a leak adjustment, although there was no leak. I'm due for a call back next week, so we'll see what happens.
NoneGiven
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quote:
Southwest along 290 toward Dripping Springs. Several of us are now in Stage 2 of the dispute process (I've been down this road before with no results), and one neighbor has already been given a leak adjustment, although there was no leak. I'm due for a call back next week, so we'll see what happens.
They told me I was responsible for calling back to get an update. Pretty solid customer service.
Gramercy Riffs
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I had to call back the first time. In Round 2, the agent working on your case calls you back in 3-7 business days.
Potcake
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quote:
Southwest along 290 toward Dripping Springs. Several of us are now in Stage 2 of the dispute process (I've been down this road before with no results), and one neighbor has already been given a leak adjustment, although there was no leak. I'm due for a call back next week, so we'll see what happens.

Just be glad you don't have AquaTexas. We had them in Wimberley. The worst.
Gramercy Riffs
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Interesting. I was under the impression that there wasn't anything worse than City of Austin. That's from not only our residential services being messed up, but both of our businesses getting billed incorrectly (and on multiple occasions not getting the refund until a YEAR later) as well. If the other company is worse, I feel bad for the folks in Wimberley.
ILuvAgLand
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So this seems to be gaining traction in the news. Anyone with new insight? I've dealt with them in the past and they are hard headed for sure.
Hanrahan
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Just got my bill for this month. $841. A tad high. Normally in the 3-400 range in the summer.
jopatura
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From what I've heard, Austin Water is blaming KXAN for creating a social media storm and washing their hands of the whole thing.
Gramercy Riffs
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Their customers created the social media storm. KXAN picked it up a few days later.

I'm still waiting to hear back for Round 2 of the "investigation" into my bill.
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