Ask Amy: Your FAQ about the new Houston water bill plan
Houston water customers DRAINED from inaccurate, exorbitant bills are hopeful the mayorโs new plan to fix the problems will work. But many of you have questions about the process. Investigative reporter Amy Davis has answers to your most common water bill plan questions.
Hereโs how much more you will pay for your water bill this month
Houstonโs latest water rate increase took effect April 1st. The city said the average customer will notice about a 9% increase in their monthly bill. Investigative reporter Amy Davis crunched the numbers to show you what it looks like on real accounts and sheโs sharing what the city may do with the extra money.
DRAINED: Here is how to tell if your Houston water meter has been upgraded
At the root of Houston's water bill crisis are tens of thousands of meter reading devices that are no longer functioning. More are failing every day. While Houston Public Works plans to replace the remote read devices on all 500,000 water meters, it is a slow process. We asked for the records to find out where they have already installed approximately 85,000. The water department won't alert you before they replace yours, and you may not even notice a difference when they do. In this video, we show you how you can tell if you have an old remote read sensor or a new one.
โDonโt make me fight to pay youโ: Customer says city hasnโt charged him for water in more than 2 years
Cable, electricity, gas.. if you want any of these things, you have to pay for them. But what if you used the service and never received a bill for them? Would you call the company to ask what you owe? How many times would you call? This is the same dilemma some Houston water customers are having. While many of you are feeling drained, stuck with exorbitant bills, we're hearing from other customers who say the city isn't charging them anything for water.
DRAINED Results: Denied help for high water bill? Try again right now
KPRC 2 Investigates has exposed systemic meter reading and water billing issues at the city of Houston's water department for the past 2 years. Just this month, the water department used ordinance changes City Council approved in December to wipe out hundreds of high balances.
Suspended water employee authorized $116k payment to her brother after city of Houston started investigation
Five weeks after KPRC 2 Investigates uncovered questionable connections between businesses awarded millions in waterline repair jobs and city of Houston employees, we're digging deeper to show you what city leaders have done with the information.
Houston leaders promise change, accountability after DRAINED customers takeover council meeting
On Tuesday, 27 people signed up to speak about their water bill problems after KPRC 2 Investigates asked the community to address the council after 18 months of reporting on unexplained water usage, meter readings, and billing problems.
Homeowner stuck with $39K water bill for home damaged during Hurricane Harvey
A homeowner called KPRC 2 Investigator Amy Davis after dealing with a water bill issue for years. A meter issue left her with a huge bill that stood in the way of getting the federal Hurricane Harvey relief money she needed.
โDRAINEDโ: $15K water bill removed from single mom after KPRC 2 investigation
When Andrea Harclerode contacted KPRC 2 Investigates last February, she had already been asking the Houston water department to help straighten out her meter and billing issues since 2019. A bill for more than $15,000 was the last straw. Three months after KPRC 2 investigative reporter Amy Davis got involved, the city finally resolved the issue.
Amid ongoing Houston water bill woes, Houston Public Works announces events to โhelp community save moneyโ
Houston Public Works said Monday that it is hosting several events in March to highlight ways to save water and save money on your water bill, including events to learn how to fix common water leaks at home.
Here are 5 ways to avoid a high water bill
KPRC 2 Investigates is exposing problems with Houstonโs water bills and meter reading issues. In our โDRAINEDโ Investigation, we learned many of you are getting crazy high bills and waiting months trying to resolve them. As people continue to send us questions and concerns we wanted to share five things you need to do to make sure you are not stuck with an insanely high water bill that you donโt owe.
KPRC 2 Investigates: How does Houston Water Department compare to other major cities?
Inaccurate meter readings and soaring high water bills are leaving many Houston water customers feeling drained. In our KPRC 2 Investigates โDRAINEDโ series, we have explained the problems. We wanted to know how the City of Houstonโs water department compares to other cities. Global research firm J.D. Power has surveyed water customers of municipal utilities for an annual study every year since 2016.
DRAINED: KPRC 2 Investigates excessive water bills and the struggle to get answers
Itโs beyond frustrating when you have a major problem and no one seems to be able to help. For months, our KPRC 2 Investigates team has heard your complaints about your City of Houston water bills. These concerns include everything, from excessive water bills to outrageous and irregular meter readings.