The KPRC 2 ‘DRAINED’ investigation into inaccurate and outrageous water bills got big results this past April. Now four months into the Houston Mayor’s plan to fix the water billing issues we wanted to know if it’s working. What’s changed? And who’s in charge of fixing all of the problems we exposed? KPRC 2 Investigative reporter Amy Davis is looking out for you as she checks the city’s progress in correcting the water problems draining so many of you.
“We want accurate, fair water bills,” said Houston Mayor John Whitmire. ”We’re committed to making this work.”
What was once a flood of complaints about Houston water bills from hundreds of you has now slowed to a drip. Out of control water bills have mostly dried up under the mayor’s plan to get the water department on track.
RELATED: What the new Houston water bill plan means to you
We are now on month four of an eight-month water bill improvement plan.
Amy: “That was April 1st. I mean, where are we now?”
Houston Public Works COO Randy Macchi: “We’re really far along. We’re tracking right exactly where we wanted to be, super happy about that.”
Macchi is the Houston Public Works Chief Operating Officer.
- He says since April 1st the city has replaced 52,000 of the 125,000 broken remote read sensors on residential water meters. (40%)
- The remaining 75,000 broken sensors will be replaced by the end of the year.
The new sensors will mean accurate water bills based on actual usage not estimated usage.
“You shouldn’t get a bill and be like, oh my goodness, I didn’t see this coming. We’ve done absolutely everything we possibly could to make sure that you knew what that would be in advance,” he said.
Since April every residential water bill has been a standard set rate based on your usage history.
After each new sensor is installed the water department monitors the readings for 60 days to make sure they are getting consistent readings. You won’t receive a bill based on actual usage until after this period.
“Since we’ve gone on to this set usage billing system, there haven’t been a reason for a lot of complaints,” said Macchi.
When customers do need help, they can now have an in-person or virtual meetings with a customer service representative.
Since April 400 customers have done that and of those Macchi says they’ve resolved 75% of the customer’s issues within that first meeting.
“Part of our having this discussion today is trying to make sure that the public knows and can have the confidence that there will be not just transparency, but the improvements necessary in this department for us to carry out what our mission is,” he said.
While we’re talking transparency you might be wondering who this is and how did he get here?
Macchi started working as Houston Public Works’ Chief Operating officer in March of 2023.
- Adjunct law professor at the University of Houston law school.
- Author of a book called “Texas Gun Law: Armed and Educated.”
- Served as the Chief Operating Officer of U.S. Law Shield, an organization that provides legal representation for gun owners who use the weapons for self-defense.
- Macchi and his wife are the voices behind “Whistle While you Work,” a podcast all about Disney, its parks and properties.
Amy: “What makes you qualified to lead the largest water utility in the state?”
Macchi: “Most of leadership, in a lot of instances, is asking questions and asking the right questions to make sure that things are being done doesn’t require you to be the subject matter expert. We have a lot of those in all of our different disciplines, but it’s making sure that they have the resources that they have, the plans that they have, the ability to go out and carry out the vision that makes it so that we can deliver what we’re supposed to deliver. And that’s what I’ve done throughout my whole career.”
We also spoke with the new director about when you will get the first bill based on your actual usage. That’s coming up in about a month for most customers.
Why some Houston water bill customers will be in for surprise water bills
Customers like seniors Rajni and Hari Kamnani in west Houston had only been billed their base water charges for three years. They didn’t know no one was reading their meter and they just assumed the small thirty-something dollar bill they paid each month covered the water they were using.
There are thousands of Houston customers just like them and when they get their first bill based on the amount of water they are actually using that’s probably going to be a real eye opener.
The price of water alone may surprise some customers.
- 10,000 gallons of water in Houston cost $112 in 2021.
- Right now the same amount after several rate increases over 3 years is $249.
Amy: “Are you expecting that’s going to cause a lot of shock?”
Randy Macchi: “I expect it’s going to cause some shock for sure. You know, one of the things that we wanted to make sure we did a good job of in this whole plan was communicating in advance of that bill coming, what your expectations should be.
Macchi explained that customers will receive a 60-day notice letting you know two months before your bills switch from that set usage amount.
How to know if you have a new Houston water meter
When you get a new meter sensor the lid to your water meter will look different. Some of you told Amy Davis they think the city locked their meter so you can’t open it.
You can open it but you need a flat head screw driver or something long enough to put in down the lid and press a button. That will allow a circle to turn and unlock the lid.
Just make sure you secure the lid and lock it back on after you’ve checked your meter to keep elements out and protect the reading device.