Residents across the city say their water bills have surged dramatically in recent months—far beyond the rate increase announced by the mayor to sustain water system upgrades. – Residents in and around the Houston area are complaining that their water bills have surged dramatically in recent months.
Since September, viewers have been sending in screenshots, statements, and messages describing skyrocketing charges that appeared without warning.
And while the City Water Billing Department has issued adjustments for some customers, officials still have not provided a clear explanation for what’s causing the spikes.
Amanda Isgate-Bussey, one of the first people to reach out to KPRC 2 News after opening a bill, said she was left shocked.
“We’d been paying roughly $150 a month or so for water for several months. And then I opened it one day, and it was $2,400,” she said.
Her story mirrors dozens of others sent to our newsroom, many posted publicly across Facebook and Nextdoor.
At our request, the city reviewed several of the bills viewers submitted.
Five customers have since received adjustments. But the city maintains that each case is different and that every bill requires an individual investigation.
Among the explanations:
Incorrect meter calibration: One customer was told his meter had been counting usage in hundreds of gallons instead of tenths. The city upgraded his meter.
Extended billing cycle: Another resident discovered her bill reflected 34 days of water use instead of the standard 30. Her meter was also upgraded.
No explanation provided: A third customer received an adjustment, but with no clarification from the city on what had caused the spike.
For Isgate-Bussey, her account was eventually credited by about $470, but the reasoning behind the adjustment was unclear.
“How they arrived at $470, I have no idea,” she said. “If it was that easy for you to come up with that number, how much more money do you actually owe me had you gone back and looked at previous months and previous bills?”
The lack of a consistent explanation has raised bigger questions:
Is this a technology failure?
A meter-reading error?
A billing-system glitch?
Should meters be upgraded citywide to prevent additional mistakes?
And even with these fixes, are there more surprise spikes on the horizon?
We’ve pressed the Water Billing Department for answers, not only for the cases we forwarded, but for every viewer who has reached out confused, worried, and in some cases, financially strained.
For many, the uncertainty is now a monthly concern.
“My question going forward is, do I have to call every single month?” Isgate-Bussey asked.
City officials say they are continuing to investigate each case as it comes in.
But until a root cause is identified, residents say they feel caught in the dark and bracing for what their next bill might bring.
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