We are getting results from our ‘DRAINED’ investigation into Houston water bills. This week city leaders plan to address the issue at the city council, hopefully, with some solutions.
Plus, while we are hearing from more of you who have issues, others are getting the help they need.
‘DRAINED’ water bill customers demand action and together we are seeing results
You may remember in October we invited you to sign up and join us at a city council and share your water bill issue with city council members. Twenty-seven people out of the hundreds we’ve heard from signed up to share their stories and demand answers. One of those people was Niya Valentine who was hit with a $10,000 water bill.
She had signed up for the city’s water usage alerts to make sure she would get notified if her usage spiked so she could check for leaks.
However, she never received any notice that there were any problems with her account until she got a nearly $10,000 water bill.
“No leak alert, no email, no information. But when they want that money, they can find you,” said Valentine.
“I don’t understand if there’s a system in place to advise people, why did that not work? Because that could have perhaps given you an opportunity, as you said, to be able to abate the issue and you wouldn’t have been faced with that insurmountable bill the next month,” said Carolyn Evans-Shabazz, Houston City Council District D.
“And I was told that it didn’t work. When I called the customer service, they said, ‘Oh, that doesn’t work.’ Well, why are you offering,” said Valentine.
Valentine has been battling the city over the $10,000 bill since July 2022. On Friday, she told us a water department representative called to tell her they were wiping that $10,000 off of her account because the city did not notify her and because the city skipped a bill, which allowed her leak to flow for 60 days.
So far, we’ve helped get $110,158.69 back on inaccurate water bills.
Steps you can take to dispute your water bill
You can continue sending us the issues you have with your water bill. We can’t get back to everyone right now, but in the meantime, there are steps you can take to potentially get money back on your own.
1. Take bill off auto pay
As soon as you open or see a bill that seems off, unusually high, or just wrong, take your bill off of autopay. You don’t want to be billed for an amount you might be fighting. Getting your money back after the fact could take months, and in some cases, the water department will only issue a credit.
2. Call and email the water department
Call the water department and email them so you have proof of the date that you reached out. Keep records of each person you talk to.
3. Water bill history - was the meter reading estimated?
Look at your water bill history. Was your meter reading estimated? It should say this on the bill. City code says the city can only estimate your meter readings three months in a row before they have to read it manually.
We’ve seen customers who had estimated reads for months, and when the city got an actual read, the city played catch up on the charges.
4. Check for water leaks at your meter and around your home
You should also check your home for water leaks. We’ve put a step-by-step guide for doing this here.
If you call the city to contest, protest, or appeal your water bill, they have to flag your account and put a hold on it while they investigate. You will not be charged late fees and you will not be responsible for the bill until the city completes its investigation.
What was Amy Davis thinking when the Mayor of Houston called her RUDE?
You may remember when the Houston mayor pointed his finger at Amy, called her rude, and said he wouldn’t talk to her.
What was Amy thinking when this went down? And what about that knock on the door as Amy tracked down a shady water department contractor?
In the latest “Ask Amy” episode check out a behind-the-scenes look into our ‘DRAINED’ Investigation with Amy and producer Andrea Slaydon.