HOUSTON – You are not alone if you were surprised by higher-than-usual Houston water bills this month.
In April, Houston Mayor John Whitmire committed to addressing the city’s water billing and meter reading issues, which were first exposed two years ago in the KPRC 2 ‘DRAINED’ Investigation.
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As the year-end deadline for his Water Bill Improvement Plan approaches, some Houston residents are experiencing new frustrations with their water bills.
We began uncovering these major problems two years ago, one customer at a time.
Since April, the Houston Water Department placed customers on “set usage” billing—a flat rate based on average monthly water usage—while working to replace broken remote-read sensors, a key source of inaccurate and inflated bills.
Now, as customers transition back to bills reflecting their actual water usage, concerns are resurfacing.
Customer water bill concerns mount
Amber McMunn, a Kingwood resident of 16 years, was stunned by her November bill. Typically billed for 4,000 gallons of water a month, McMunn’s first bill under the new system claimed she used 52,000 gallons—resulting in a charge of over $1,500.
“When I got this bill, it was a shock,” McMunn said.
After confirming with a plumber that there were no leaks, she contacted the water department, which quickly replaced her meter and zeroed out her bill. A spokesperson for Houston Public Works explained that McMunn’s remote-read device likely failed after transitioning to actual usage billing, leading to a misreading.
Unfortunately, McMunn isn’t alone.
Community frustrations about high water bills
Reports of unexpected water bills are gaining traction, particularly in Kingwood. A public Facebook group post about a $715 bill for two adults drew 40 comments, including one from a resident who said her usage jumped by 10,000 gallons over two months, resulting in bills of more than $500 each month.
While some residents commend the water department’s efforts to fix these issues, others express frustration with the scope of the problem.
Progress and challenges
- Houston Public Works has replaced more than 100,000 broken remote-read devices since April, far exceeding initial expectations.
- However, 271,000 residential meters still require updates, leaving thousands of customers unable to access real-time water usage data or alerts.
- Currently, around 75,000 water customers remain on set-usage billing. The city will notify these customers 60 days before transitioning them back to actual usage-based billing.
What you can do about water bill concerns
If you’re still on set-usage billing, closely monitor your water bills for usage data to prepare for the switch.
As the city works toward its year-end goal, Houston residents are hopeful that these persistent billing problems will finally be resolved. Stay tuned for updates as we continue to monitor the progress of this critical issue.
Do you have a sudden high water bill and need help?
**If you need help, please enter your information in this form: KPRC 2 ‘DRAINED’ water customer complaints
I will keep working to get answers for you about these water bills.
You can check out the full ‘DRAINED’ Investigation here.
Here’s something else I’m working on this week: Questions about calls from the CDC
Telemarketing calls can be disruptive, and many of you have recently reported receiving calls from individuals claiming to work for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). These callers aren’t trying to sell you anything—they’re asking a lot of questions.
I received eight calls over three weeks, often on weeknights or Sundays, from a 404-area code number based in Atlanta. While spoofing is common, these calls were not faked. After contacting the CDC, I found:
- The CDC hires researchers and callers from the University of Chicago for National Immunization Surveys.
- These surveys, conducted since 1994, monitor vaccination coverage among children.
- Phone numbers are randomly selected by a computer.
- To stop the calls, simply answer and ask to be removed from the list.
Here’s more on the calls here.