HOUSTON — Over the past year, KHOU 11 has reported on extra high water bills for Houston residents and now three city council members are working to put the issue on the agenda.
"I am getting texts from people saying that they are getting $6,000 water bills," said council member Carolyn Evans-Shabazz
Shabazz, along with council members Mary Nan Huffman and Amy Peck have a plan they said would relieve customers of high water bills. They said some customers have been billed for usage that goes above what Houston Public Works estimates. They want to change the current ordinance to prevent Public Works from adjusting errors in water bills that go back more than three months unless those errors benefit the customer.
Houston Public Works has already started doing this, according to the council members, but the agenda item would put it in the city code.
"This is just a formality to codify so that people will know in stone that this is how the city's gonna operate," said Evans-Shabazz.
Shortly after the release from the three council members, Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner released a statement, saying the city is working on a plan to relieve customers of high water bills.
"This extensive array of regulatory and process improvements is designed to bring customer relief," Turner said. "My administration will present the proposed changes to City Council in the coming weeks with a target date of December 6, 2023.”
His office gave added the following statement Wednesday about his plan, saying it does more than the plan Peck, Huffman and Evans-Shabazz put forth.
"The administration will propose a comprehensive plan that goes beyond what the council members released on Tuesday. Houston Public Works and the administration have been working on the proposed changes regarding customer water bills for several months. Mayor Turner looks forward to putting the item before the city council for consideration on December 6, and he believes they will embrace the proposed changes."
Some of the bills we've reported on are in the thousands.
In May, one customer in southeast Houston received a $23,000 water bill. A nearby resident got a $3,150 bill.
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.