There seems to be something in the water. Within the last couple of weeks, I've heard from two other people - besides myself - who received unusually high water bills. If you've ever gotten one of those, you know the shockwaves it can send through your body.
My bill was relatively mild compared to one of my past clients'. The amount due this last quarter was "only" double than what I usually pay. It still resulted in a moment of what the...? A quick call to Howard County's Water and Sewer division cleared things up. My water meter had stopped working. The bill I had received was an estimate based on the average usage in the county. Scheduling a replacement of the faulty water meter was quick and painless (shout-out to Cam, thank you!) and took place just a few days after my initial call. Now I await an adjustment to said estimated bill. I am hoping that it will happen before payment is due, or otherwise I won't see my money back (in form of a credit) until February 2023. I'll let you know how that plays out!
My client who just bought her house (in MoCo and in the WSSC service area) this year received an outrageously high bill, several hundreds more than she had anticipated. The sellers final bill had been paid in full at settlement.
WSSC & Co. are quick to point to a running toilet as the culprit but having just had a full plumbing inspection with no major issue, this was highly unlikely. Also, aren't running toilets pretty obvious? I am not sure how it could possibly go undetected for quite some time causing such a steep increase? If any plumbers want to chime in, that would be great! Feel free to add a comment.
My first time buyer and I both assumed that there had to be a mistake at one of their readings, or perhaps a problem with the meter as well. WSSC also responded quickly and sent someone out to reread her water meter. Turns out, the reading had been way, wayyyyy off. How does that happen? I have no clue but her bill was adjusted. Instead of $900, the amount due is now $40 (yes, forty dollars).
Person #3 is still waiting to figure out what the problem is.
My advice to all happy homeowners in receipt of a (shockingly) high water bill:
1. Don't panic.
2. Don't ignore the bill. It runs with the house and non-payment can result in a lien on your house. You do not want that.
3. Don't just pay it either. There is a reason. It may be a malfunction. It may not be your responsibility to fix. It may be a billing error. You may not actually owe the entire amount you were billed.
4. Check your toilets, check your outside water spouts, check your basement utility room and all ceilings etc. for obvious leaks.
5. Contact Howard County Water & Sewer Billing Division, or WSSC in MoCo and report the billing issue. If your water meter is accessible, you may also want to snap a picture of the numbers before you call and compare it to the last bill.
If your unusual high water bill was not due to a wrong reading or malfunctioning water meter, there is still hope that you can get your bill adjusted. WSSC offers a one-time courtesy bill reduction, for example, that's worth checking into.
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