Amarillo residents report shocking spikes in water bills
AMARILLO, Texas (KVII) — Amarillo residents said they were stunned to open recent water bills showing dramatic spikes in usage and charges, with some believing they are being billed for enough water to fill one or even two swimming pools.
Cleat Bell said his water use jumped from 11,000 gallons the previous month to 44,000 gallons the next, and his bill rose accordingly.
“I went from 11,000 gallons last month to 44,000 gallons used this month. I went from $118 water bill to a $307 water bill. So it surprised me. So, I just didn’t know why it was that high,” Bell said.
RELATED | City of Amarillo launches new form in response to influx of utility billing concerns
Bear Thomas said he believes the city’s digital smart meters and new billing system are to blame and described what he said were problems with his account information.
“They did not do that properly, I did that. I was in that business for 25 years, and there is no history. So they had they didn’t even know who I was. They didn’t have my driver’s license in it. They didn’t have my Social Security business. So we checked that. Finally, I put that in and they said, well, I was 25,000 gallons of water, that they charging me for,” Thomas said.
KVII
Both residents said they contacted the city seeking corrections. Thomas said the city suggested a plumbing issue.
“They tried to tell me that it was a leaky toilet,” Thomas said.
Bell said he was told to either pay the bill or check for leaks, but he disputes that explanation.
“She said, you can pay your bill or call a plumber, see if you have any leaks. So you have a leaky toilet. I said, well, ma’am, I don’t I know I don’t have leaks,” Bell said.
ABC 7 News contacted the City of Amarillo about what it described as a soaring number of complaints about high water bills. The city declined an interview request and instead provided a statement.
City of Amarillo’s full statement
At this time, the city can only comment on specific accounts referenced to ensure we have complete and accurate information before drawing broader conclusions. Because every account and property is different, we cannot make broad assumptions based on individual social media posts or isolated examples. We encourage customers with concerns about their bill or usage to contact Utility Billing directly so staff can review their account and usage history individually.
It is important to clarify that the city’s AMI digital water meter project has been underway for several years, and many customers already had digital meters installed prior to the recent Utility Billing System implementation. The new billing system did not change how water usage is measured. However, the new portal and bill format do provide customers with more visible and detailed water usage information, including daily and hourly consumption data.
The new utility billing system provides more detailed visibility into when and how water is being used. In many cases, this can help identify irrigation usage, leaks or other patterns that may not have previously been as noticeable.
We are also currently experiencing drought conditions and seasonal increases in outdoor watering, which can significantly impact water usage this time of year.
Customers can receive assistance in person at City Hall (623 S Johnson), by email (waterbill@amarillo.gov), or by phone (806) 378-3030. At this time, in-person assistance may provide the quickest support due to elevated call volumes following the recent billing system transition.
The city also acknowledged customer frustration and said it has launched a new online utility billing assistance form aimed at improving response times and better assisting customers.
Bell and Thomas said they want a different solution, including addressing potential system problems.
“If it’s a software issue, it needs to be corrected ASAP,” Bell said.
Thomas added, “It’s probably the computer that they put in there. We spent a good amount of money, to replace that computer system. And I think we got just really got screwed on that.”