Sue the City of Phoenix over water bill (Tucson, Mesa: house, landscaping)

[rickc]

I had an extraordinarily large ($770) water bill in Sept 2011 for our home in Phoenix. Normal reading for that month would be $60 - $80. The City double checked the reading, and also pulled and checked the meter, and found the meter working within the prescribed tolerances. No one in the neighborhood could account for the huge usage. The house, and the sprinkled area, is very small. The inside water was shut off for the entire month (as we were not there). I had the house and grounds checked immediately after I got the bill (the following month), and there was no evidence of leakage. There are no pools nearby. I protested the bill, and the Water Department denied the protest. I requested a hearing before the City Auditor. The hearing officer found against me. I am unable to prove what happened to the water, but I know I didn't use it. The hearing officer thinks that the usage was attributable to sprinkler leakage, but my contractor testified at the hearing that a typical hose bib would have to be on 24/7 for 30 days to use the quantity of water involved. That testimony was ignored. Anybody out there that's had a similar experience? Has anyone ever sued the City over water?

[ReadyFreddy]

The hearing officer thinks that the usage was attributable to sprinkler leakage

How do they explain it leaking that much water in a month and then not the next month, in the absence of a repair? Or do they think you repaired it and are lying?

[stephen431]

Call your city councilman's office.

[Jukesgrrl]

What you're experiencing has been a long-standing, well-publicized issue in Tucson. Tucson Water averages more than 4,000 cases every year of residential water customers getting these enormous bills. That sounds like a large number, but it is actually fewer than 1% of the millions of bills it sends out annually. Many of the out-sized bills are eventually explained (most commonly due to broken irrigation systems, sometimes even due to theft of water), but a good many people are in your situation — the cause is NEVER detected. Their numbers, and the fear and outrage inspired in their fellow customers, are enough to generate a lot of negative media attention for the water company.

As a result, Tucson Water is addressing the issue, in cooperation with Tucson City Council and the Mayor's Office. Apparently some policy changes will allow a bit of relief for the victims, but at the cost of raising everyone's rates a bit. I don't believe the issue has been solved to everyone's satisfaction, but some action is occurring. Here are two articles from the Arizona Daily Star that detail the on-going saga.

Best of Sunday: Outsized water bills hit local users hard

Extreme water bills targeted

Best of luck in addressing your situation. Any possibility neighbors were filling their pools and tending their lawns with your water in your long absence? I agree with those who say you need to raise a ruckus.

[Kimballette]

Since you were gone for a month, do you think it's possible someone tapped in to your water supply in your absence?

[oldtrader]

As has been suggested, your problem is probably water theft when you were gone. There are people that go to homes that are temporarily vacant and fill water trucks, etc. It does not take very long, if they use a pump to suck the water out of your pipes and the water system.

[ReadyFreddy]

How does one protect themselves from this, if you live here part-year and have some landscaping that needs water?

Maybe the water meters should be smart. I like my SRP smart meter. I bet it could alert me to inordinately high reading days.

[Zippyman]

Originally Posted by ReadyFreddy

How does one protect themselves from this, if you live here part-year and have some landscaping that needs water?

Maybe the water meters should be smart. I like my SRP smart meter. I bet it could alert me to inordinately high reading days.

You would still find out about it the day *after* it happened...

Most homes I've seen had 1" mains, I don't think filling a water truck from that would be "quick"...

More likely a neighbor got their pool filled for free...

[ReadyFreddy]

I don't think you could spend $700 on water in a day, though. Even filling a pool is nowhere near that much. I just filled mine in Feb. and I think it was under $50. That would make sense according to the Mesa rates below and a 12,000 gallon pool. I suppose if his neighbor has a 175,000 gallon pool. That'd be hard to hide, and he said "there are no pools nearby".


Rate: In addition to the service charge, the usage charge and surcharges per billing cycle per 1,000 gallons for
water used shall be as follows:
Usage Charge: $2.60 per 1,000 gallons, first 12,000 gallons and
$3.89 per 1,000 gallons, next 12,000 gallons and
$4.35 per 1,000 gallons, all additional 1,000 gallons

[stephen431]

I refilled my pool this year. It didn't cost anywhere near $700 dollars.