A new homeowner cried after receiving a $9,700 water bill, with the company claiming he used 355,000 gallons of water.
New homeowner breaks down in tears after utility charges him nearly $10K water bill
Recently, a new homeowner in San Antonio, Texas, received a staggering water bill of $9,700, leaving him both shocked and confused.
Seth Priestner, who moved into his new home in April, thought there must be a mistake when he opened his August bill.
Instead of the usual monthly charge, he was hit with a bill stating he had used an incredible 355,000 gallons of water.
The man thought it was a confusion
Initially, Priestner and his family were paying around $115 each month for their water usage. This was expected for a typical household.
However, just five months into their new home, the bill skyrocketed to $9,707.
“At first, we thought they sent us the wrong bill. Maybe it was meant for a commercial account,” he explained.
When he contacted the San Antonio Water System (SAWS), he learned that the charge was indeed correct.
“But upon calling SAWS they said ‘No, that is your bill.'”
The man tried to find the leaks in his home but got nothing
The utility company suggested that there might be a leak in his home, which prompted Priestner to hire a plumber.
After inspecting the property, the plumber found no leaks. This left Priestner even more puzzled.
Complicating matters further, the family had previously repaired a leak in June, yet the bill still reflected an enormous amount of water usage.
Feeling frustrated, Priestner requested a reduction in the bill since there was no clear explanation for the excessive charge.
Utility company adjusts high water bill after investigation reveals estimated usage
After some negotiations, SAWS agreed to lower the bill, but it still amounted to around $6,500.
Included in this amount was a Stage 3 Drought Surcharge fee, which totaled nearly $3,500.
This surcharge is applied to customers who exceed certain water usage limits during drought conditions.
San Antonio had been experiencing a drought, with only 0.38 inches of rain recorded in August.
The Stage 3 charge is designed to discourage excessive water use during such times, costing $10.37 per thousand gallons for those who use more than 20,000 gallons in a month.
“That is strictly there to discourage people from using excessive water,” Priestner stated.
As the situation unfolded, Priestner learned that 355,000 gallons are roughly half the amount needed to fill an Olympic-sized swimming pool, making the bill seem even more outrageous.
He felt it was unjust to be fined for what appeared to be a billing error.
After further investigation, it was revealed that SAWS had not physically checked Priestner’s water meter in the months leading up to the bill.
Instead, they had estimated his usage, which led to confusion.
“Because there were two estimated reads we couldn’t be sure when that water use was happening in those two months, so we did give him a partial credit,” Hayden told KENS.
SAWS upgrades the water meter system to improve monitoring and customer support
To address the issue, SAWS decided to replace Priestner’s old analog water meter with a new ConnectH20 meter.
This updated meter allows for electronic monitoring of water usage.
With the new system, the utility can alert homeowners about any continuous leaks, which can help prevent similar situations in the future.
In September, after installing the new meter, SAWS notified Priestner’s family that they had left a hose running.
This demonstrated how the new technology can assist in managing water usage more effectively.
“We decided, just to be careful, to give him credit back on the surcharge,” Hayden said.
Hayden expressed optimism about the benefits of the new system, stating that it would be a valuable tool for all customers.
The homeowner felt relief after the water bill fine was taken away
Ultimately, Priestner was relieved that SAWS dropped the drought surcharge after further discussions.
“I’m just appreciative that they took away the fine,” he said, reflecting on the stressful situation.