Donna Harrington shows her water bill that reads $5,776.23 in her house, Wednesday, June 24, 2026, in Dallas.
Chitose Suzuki/The Dallas Morning News
Donna Harrington thought she had done everything right — until she received a water bill for $5,776.23.
The retired Dallas city employee said she paid her May water bill early enough to avoid any problems while Dallas Water Utilities switched to an upgraded online billing system. But then she logged into the new system.
“I was like, ‘Oh naw!’” Harrington said of seeing the bill.
Article continues below this ad
Her water bills are usually less than $115. She has lived in the same West Dallas home for nearly 18 years and says her bill has never been close to four figures.
Dallas Water Utilities later corrected the bill to $94 and told her the high amount was caused by a misread, Harrington told The Dallas Morning News.
Hers is one of many complaints Dallas City Council members say they have heard since the city launched an updated DallasGo billing platform May 18, requiring water customers to re-register accounts and re-enroll in AutoPay.
Many residents have also complained about a new 3.15% convenience fee for one-time online or phone payments.
Article continues below this ad
Dallas 311 received about 2,500 additional water customer service calls a day after the launch, with average hold times rising from 91 seconds to 35 minutes, per a city memo.
The city also faced complaints after DallasGo first launched in 2024, when some customers received notices with the wrong account holder’s name and others struggled to create accounts.
City officials say the new system was necessary and the upgrade gives customers more account management tools. But the rollout has frustrated residents, overwhelmed customer service lines and prompted council members to question whether the city was prepared.
“I have tried to call and I get the runaround,” council member Lorie Blair said at a recent committee meeting. She said she hadn’t been able to get into the new system.
Council member Bill Roth called the rollout “a disaster.” And council member Cara Mendelsohn called it “a failure.”
Article continues below this ad
Laura Cadena, another council member, said she heard complaints from residents who had gotten bills up to $10,000. Many worried the amounts would automatically be drafted from their bank accounts.
Dallas Water Utilities didn’t identify a specific cause for the high bills in a response to questions from The News.
The department is not assessing late fees or disconnecting water service during the transition. Anyone with billing problems should contact water services for help, city officials said.
Customers who use auto pay must re-enroll because previous account credentials and payment methods didn’t transfer due to changes in the third-party provider and banking security requirements.
One-time payments are now subject to a fee, which was added to offset rising costs.
Article continues below this ad
Dallas Water Utilities had historically paid about $750,000 in payment-processing costs, but is now paying about $7 million. The City Council approved a city code change last fall allowing the department to recover payment-service costs, including credit and debit card transaction and interchange fees.
Water department officials have said the new system will eventually make it easier for residents to manage accounts, request leak adjustments, enroll in payment plans, handle move-in and move-out requests and initiate meter maintenance requests online.
But for customers like Harrington, the experience has shaken confidence.
Harrington said her issue was fixed quickly after she contacted her council member. She said a water department employee later called and told her the bill had been corrected.
Still, Harrington said she is waiting to see what happens next.
Article continues below this ad
“My bill was lower than it’s ever been,” she said. “That’s why I’m worried about this coming month.”
If in need of assistance, DWU said customers can email DallasGo@dallas.gov with their name, service address, account number and preferred contact information or call customer service at 214-651-1441.