[Jake18]

If you have a pool check your overflow valve. Could be stuck open

[Hirams1202]

Ask them if they have been reading or estimating every month. Estimating over several months can cause a big bill when they finally read it.

[Jaydancer]

Originally Posted by Tredsaw12

If you only have one meter, I can almost guarantee the problem is with the irrigation system. Very few things can use that much water without you noticing it. It's usually a broken sprinkler head or a pipe underground that has cracked. However, when I had the same problem last year, it was a faulty irrigation timer, (the box on the wall in the garage that controls the irrigation system). The sprinklers would run every day, twice a day. With the help of the water company we figured it out. They can get a readout of how much water I used and at what time of the day by reading my meter data. Then after I got it fixed I gave them the receipt from the company that replaced my timer and the water company gave me a substantial rebate because they realized I shouldn't have been charged for sewer for all that wasted water.

I have a similar frustrating problem, but with my irrigation water. My water bill comes in on one bill with all the other things like amenity fee etc. The water is split, one total for potable water and one for irrigation. The irrigation settings are never changed, but the bill for the sprinklers is quite often considerably more in one month than is usual. I'll have 3 months at the normal rate and then a much larger one, next month back to normal. Again the system is not changed. Anyone have any ideas about this?

[Bruce3055]

It's interesting that it appears that most folks would rather pay higher water bills to help a customer with an unusually high water bill. Of course that's assuming that the water company has costs to cover in providing water.

On a more serious note, if the leakage was isolated to irrigation and it was fixed and the water usage returned to normal, then you could make a legitimate argument that the water didn't go down the sewer and you should get a one time sewer usage credit. (Even clean water has to get treated once in goes in the sewer.

But imagine if everybody with irrigation leaks filed for adjjustments. That's why the water provider doesn't like to give adjustments.
And in reading the comments, many customers don't catch the leak in irrigation for a very long time. At what point should leaks be the customer's responsibility to pay for wasted water. Or should all customers chip in a little with higher water fees to help the poor customer with the high water bill due to wasted water?

So often though, the customer will fix an irrigation leak or other leak and claim they never had a leak and the bill will majically go back to normal. That defies the principle of how a water meter works. Usually old meters may stick or slow down but very rarely skip forward and then return to normal

there is a potential solution though. You can buy a FLUME water usage meter on amazon for about $200 and never have a surprise bill again. You can set it to give you notices of high water usage and it tracks hourly usage. So if the meter is running when you're away, yoiu know there's a problem immediately.

And there might be another solution also. When you look on Amazon you'll notice there's another water meter app that's only good for certain areas of the country. I think this hints that the water provider has worked a deal to lower the cost of a personal meter for their customers.

[Catalina36]

I am not familiar with TV water meters. Are you able to visually look at the water meter numbers or dials when the water is on??
You stated " I looked at the meter outside and it is not moving so I know there isn't a leak or it would keep moving despite all my faucets turned off." From what you are saying on a 31 day month that's like 1677 gals of water a day or 70 gals a hour?? This might be something to do If you know where your water shut off is to the house close the valve and see if the meter is still turning. If you have a leak in the pipe going to the outside hose valve then you would still see the meter moving?? But you did say the meter is not moving?? Someone else also suggested make sure you are looking at the correct meter?? The inside water meter not the irrigation meter!!

[nn0wheremann]

Originally Posted by Hifred

We have lived in our home for years and our potable water usage is very stable. A little above or below 5,000 gallons a month. I got the shock of my life today when I looked at my water bill and it showed we used more than 52,000 gallons of potable water this month. I immediately checked all the faucets, spigots, toilets to see if they were running as well as hot water heater to see if it was leaking and looked under each sink. I called TV utility and they said they had checked the water meter twice and the reading was accurate. I don't know what else to do as I told the person from the utility company. I looked at the meter outside and it is not moving so I know there isn't a leak or it would keep moving despite all my faucets turned off. I don't have a pool. I haven't had any guests or any reason why the water bill would be so high. The bad thing is I have automatic payment set up and it pulled more than $500 out of my checking account. I asked the person if they could pull my typical payment until we could determine what the problem was but they don't do that.

Has anyone had this situation occur? Do I need to get a lawyer? I am at a loss. Maybe the meter malfunctioned? At this point the people who work at the utility company are done with me but I still have a huge bill and they have taken the money from my bank account..... HELP PLEASE.

Run your irrigation system manually, walk around the house and look for broken sprinkler heads. One of those will leak 10,000 gallons a month. Also lift the manifold cover next to your garage and see if you have a leak there. Be careful lifting that cover, varmints like that spot, especially if it is leaking.

[Barborv]

Several years ago, Had a $600.00 bill. It wasn't the irrigation usage, it was the water usage. Found out the toilet was running and my tenant didn't notify me for several weeks. The utility company did give me a one time price reduction. I think it might of been $200.00 off.

[Djean1981]

We have the flume. You can monitor usage with an app..
It's awesome..

[laboutj]

Originally Posted by Djean1981

We have the flume. You can monitor usage with an app..
It's awesome..

Do you need two Flumes, one for the irrigation water and one for the water coming into the house? If you are monitoring irrigation, does it connect outside where the meter is?

[Velvet]

Originally Posted by MollyJo

Set your payment up using Bill Pay with your checking account. You receive the Water Bill, go into Bill Pay on your checking account & pay the amount on your Water Bill. If it’s EXCESSIVE & you have checked everything on your part, I would pay the normal amount you use, and begin disputes with the Water Company. Perhaps their meter is not working or the hand held reader. When I can’t get cooperation from a company that deserves a second look, I call the Media to do a story using all your facts. You’ll get satisfaction from said Company immediately 😇

Definitely not. It’s a little more work each month to pay the bill. It is a LOT of possible work to correct over whithdrawl.