<\/p>\n
Rafael Rodriguez said he was shocked when his monthly water bill jumped from approximately $150 to more than $600 in May. Over a three-month period, the total reached over $1,600.<\/p>\n
CBS News Miami | Aug. 2026<\/p>\n
A Pembroke Pines man is seeking a refund after his monthly water bill skyrocketed after a new meter was installed this year.<\/p>\n
Rafael Rodriguez said he was shocked when his monthly water bill jumped from approximately $150 to more than $600 in May. Over a three-month period, the total reached over $1,600.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe bill in total came out to roughly over, in three months, $1,600, which is way above what I\u2019m used to paying, and it had us dipping into savings just to cover costs,\u201d Rodriguez said.<\/p>\n
The utility bills indicated his family of five had used 88,000 gallons of water in three months. His family typically uses about 21,000 gallons in that same period.<\/p>\n
\u201cFreaked out first, and then after that, I immediately got to documenting. Like my first reaction is to document and capture everything,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Suspecting the meter was faulty, Rodriguez ran his own tests. He focused on his toilet, which should use about 1.3 gallons per flush. He recorded video footage of the meter\u2019s dial spinning 87 times, meaning the meter was logging 8.7 gallons per flush instead of 1.3.<\/p>\n
On Friday, the city swapped in a new meter, which Rodriguez says is reading accurately. He filled a one-gallon pitcher, and the meter registered exactly one gallon.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe reading now, I believe it was at 956 gallons. I\u2019m now seeing it at exactly 957 zero, exactly one gallon,\u201d Rodriguez said.<\/p>\n
With the new meter working, Rodriguez hopes the city will reimburse him for the overcharges.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnything that would at least [provide] compensation and that money back based on what we\u2019re seeing now versus what was with the old meter is what we\u2019re looking for,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
The city of Pembroke Pines has not yet responded to requests for comments.<\/p>\n