*Vent*

[grimlin]

How the heck does a water bill jump from $18.00 a month to $75 a month? In one month!

We had no change in water activity...matter of fact i know we used less water this month than we did last month yet they are saying we went from 2000 gallon(water)-2000 gallon(sewer) and now they said we jumped to 6000(water)-6000(sewer) and i know for a fact there is no water leaks of any kind.

I called them up and they said "everything is right" and that's what you own $75. What the heck is going on here!!!

My kid has been by his grandmother house most of this month so he hasn't been taking baths here.I had a broken wrist so my showers were limited.We haven't been doing any dishes(maybe twice a week if that) and laundry is once a week and nothing big.I don't understand this.How can that meter be right? 

[SirSnookalot]

May not have a visable leak but could have one underground, happen to me 2 times here in Florida.  Was your bill based on a reading or an estimate?

[brushhoggin]

check gaskets in your toilet. is the rubber plug on the inside sittin right?

[grimlin]

A reading....We live in a trailer park...so i assume an underground break can't be our responsibility?

My wife is going up to the office and show our recent bills and then show them the jump.It makes no sense to us.

Somebody is gonna have to come out here and find out why the sudden jump in water wastage.We don't use but 2000 gallon a month if that.

[grimlin]

check gaskets in your toilet. is the rubber plug on the inside sittin right?

3rd thing i checked....everything is fine there.You would see/hear it running or air bubbles coming up if there were any leaks or water escaping. So i know that ain't it.

[Stasher1]

Turn off all water in the house, go outside and pop the cover off your water meter and check the leak indicator on the meter. If it's moving at all, you have a leak...most likely between the meter and the house.

http://www.mesaaz.gov/water/water/leak_detection.aspx

[Dan:]

Turn off all water in the house, go outside and pop the cover off your water meter and check the leak indicator on the meter. If it's moving at all, you have a leak...most likely between the meter and the house.

http://www.mesaaz.gov/water/water/leak_detection.aspx

I had a friend who lived in New Orleans. They had a leak between the meter and the house and they got a water bill for like $1000 one month.

[grimlin]

Turn off all water in the house, go outside and pop the cover off your water meter and check the leak indicator on the meter. If it's moving at all, you have a leak...most likely between the meter and the house.

http://www.mesaaz.gov/water/water/leak_detection.aspx

Thanks! Going to go check that out.

[Stasher1]

As a general rule, if the leak is between the meter and the house, it's your responsibility. If the meter is leaking or the leak is between the meter and the road, it's their responsibility.

[K_Mac]

A 4000 gallon increase is hard to imagine without a break somewhere, or some kind of accounting error. It would take a faucet or toilet with a BIG leak to make that kind of difference. Hopefully they will get it figured out.

FWIW $18 for water and sewer is dirt cheap compared to anywhere around here. I live in a rural area with poor well water, so I have a hook-up to county water. I pay about $65 a month for 2000-2500 gal of water. I have a septic system that also has to be maintained.

[FishingBuds]

Turn off all water in the house, go outside and pop the cover off your water meter and check the leak indicator on the meter. If it's moving at all, you have a leak...most likely between the meter and the house.

http://www.mesaaz.gov/water/water/leak_detection.aspx

Thanks! Going to go check that out.

Use a sharpy or something to mark the meter, then give it a half hour or more and then check to see if it has moved, thats how you check to see if you have a leak, I know it happened to me. every time I went out I didn't see my meter running, but a buddy told me to do it this way, and sure enough 45 minutes later I checked and BINGO it was in a different position

[Stasher1]

He shouldn't have to do that with a 4000 gal./mo. leak, but that's still good advice.

[grimlin]

It's not moving.I can't figure this out....This one has me scratching my head. Somebody must have read that meter wrong twice. :-/

PS I did wait an hour before checking again.

[NateFollmer]

My bill went from $30 to almost $100 last month. No idea how it happened, the only thing I did differently was give the cat a bath... and that wouldn't make the $70 increase haha

I'm going to have to check for leaks, thanks for the advice gents!

[tyrius.]

Does your bill have the meter readings?  I'd check them against the last month's bill to make sure the starting reading is the same as the last month's ending reading.

[done]

That happens here on a true reading if they do a mess of estimates. I would also verify the reading on the meter matches what they say it is right now. That is quite a jump. Only time i know of that happeneing for real to someone here was them leaving a black hose out in the yard with the water turned on. The hose burst from the heat and they leaked water into the wood behind their house for a week before they found it.

[preach4bass]

Sometimes a water department will adjust a bill if it is unusually high. Our county allows one adjustment per year for high bills caused by leaks. Give your local company a call and ask them.

[firefightn15]

hidden leak

mis-reading

faulty meter

neighbor using your water (outside tap)

rate adjustment

rate hike