HOUSTON — Over the past year, KHOU 11 has reported on outrageously high water bills for many Houston residents, including a 90-year-old woman who got a bill for $58,000.
“I've talked to the water company more than three times, only by myself, trying to get this settled and no consideration,” Naomi Brazle told us back in May.
We helped her and several other homeowners get their bills lowered and our reports caught the city's attention.
On Wednesday, Houston City Council will vote on a plan to relieve customers of excessively high water bills. Mayor Sylvester Turner released details about the plan in a Monday news conference.
He explained current ordinances restrict the city’s ability to respond to customers with unusually high water bills.
“Quite frankly, these ordinances are outdated,” Turner said.
They were originally created under the assumption that all of the equipment would work properly, Turner said, but that hasn't been the case.
“Today we are faced with a high number of failing meter reading devices due to the aged infrastructure,” the mayor said. “And the city must rely on a much higher number of estimated readings.”
Proposal to address unusually high water bills
Turner said city leaders have spent months working on a plan to address the issues. He detailed the proposed ordinance changes if approved by city council.
- Customer services will be equipped with the tools and resources necessary to resolve the majority of disputes on the first call.
- Remove limit to the number of times customers can get adjustments for water leaks each year.
- Add incentives for customers who repair their water leak within 30 days of receiving their water bill. Those bills will be adjusted to their average usage. If the repair is completed 31-60 days after receiving the bill, they will get a 75% adjustment. Repairs completed more than 60 days after the bill is received will result in a 50% adjustment.
- A customer can qualify for a full credit if the leak costs more than $1,000 or $100 for low-income residents. Under the current ordinance, those amounts were $2,000 and $250.
- The maximum relief offered will be lowered from 150% to 125% of the customer’s average bill.
- In cases where the cause of the increase is unknown, the adjustment threshold to qualify for adjustments will be lowered from five times the average bill to twice the average bill. The adjustment limit will be raised from $4,000 to $10,000.
- Customers no longer using water at properties they own are no longer required to pay a private contractor to remove the meter at a cost of as much as $1,500. Instead, the City will lock the meter for a one-time fee of $150. There would be no fee to reactivate the meter.
- Customers who sign up for online-only bills will get a 50-cent credit each month.
- Officially do away with back billing over three months
If the changes are approved, they will take effect immediately, according to Houston Public Works Director Carol Haddock.
What you should do if you get an unusually high water bill
First, you should check your usage, which should be on your bill. Check to see if your water rates have gone up by doing the math.
Next, check to see if your bill shows that you used more water than in previous months. If so, you'll need to figure out why that happened.
You can start by looking for common household issues that could be contributing to using more water than expected.
Plumbers suggest these tips:
- Check your toilet -- is it running after you flush it?
- Check for dripping faucets. It might not seem like much, but you can use this drip calculator to see if you have an issue.
- Check for leaks. Experts say the easiest and cheapest way to do it is if you're able to access your water meter. They say you should start by making sure your faucets are off and then read the meter. Wait two to three hours and then check again. If the meter doesn't read the same, you *probably* have a leak.
If you reach that point, it's time to call a plumber. They're able to perform in-depth tests that will help you figure out if you have a hidden leak -- in your walls or under your home -- and, ultimately, repair the problem.
Finally, if you've checked your meter and looked for leaks and can't find any evidence, it's time to call your utility provider. They'll be able to check the meter itself to see if it's been damaged or if there's something else wrong with it.
It sometimes can be hard to find out who to call, so start with your bill or look online for a service number to call and ask for any help related to high bills.
Certain utility providers, such as the City of Houston, allow you to set up daily and monthly water usage alerts that are sent directly to your email. They also may have financial support for people in need who are facing unexpectedly high bills.