CONROE, Texas – You can usually predict how much you’ll pay for your water bill each month. But for some residents in Conroe, they got quite the surprise on their most recent bill.
“Our mouths fell open and hit the floor,” said Linda Gill of Conroe.
Linda Gill and her husband have lived in their home for four years. She said her average water bill in the peak of summer is around $300. She was caught off guard when she saw this past months bill.
“It was over $300 more than our electric bill,” Gill said.
She explained how her bill was well over $800 for the month of July and that it was the highest number she’s ever seen on a water bill in her lifetime. Gill said she did use her sprinkler system more in July but not enough to see a jump like this.
About 10 minutes down the road, Ashley Mayfield said she also saw a jump on her bill.
“Normally they run below $100 and this past bill has tripled,” she noted. “It was very shocking. There is no reason for it to have tripled. We don’t run sprinklers, we haven’t really even been hand watering like we should have.”
Mayfield also said she had someone come check her water softener, her toilets and even her meter. She’s concerned these high bills will continue and it could eventually eat into costs for necessities.
The City of Conroe Department of Utility Billing says there are a few things to check for if you see a spike in your water bill.
- Have your meter checked out to make sure it’s running properly and there isn’t a leak.
- Check your toilets to make sure they aren’t running or also leaking.
- Make sure your water softener does not have any leaks or overflow.
- If you are in a new build, you can also check your sprinkler system to make sure it did not reset.
The city also says you have the option to request “reread” on the meter, which costs $15.
If you have an older meter you can call the office and ask someone to review the “data logger” to help evaluate where there is an issue. Data loggers go back 90 days and can determine when and where water is run.
The City of Conroe is also in the process of replacing all old meters with smart meters.
For concerns about your water bill please call the The Conroe Utility Billing Department at 936-522-3170.