Sarasota family disputes $600 water bill after elderly woman’s service shut off

SARASOTA, Fla. (WWSB) — A Sarasota County family is searching for answers after they say an elderly woman’s monthly water bill jumped from about $50 to more than $600, leaving her without running water.

The family says the woman, who lives alone in the Winds of St. Armands North community, has never experienced a water bill this high.

They believe the charges are inaccurate and are asking Sarasota County to determine what caused the sudden spike.

Her daughter, Maria Clayeon, says the family was shocked when the bills began climbing.

According to the family, the woman lives alone, does not have a washing machine and uses very little water, making the county’s reported water usage difficult to believe.

In an effort to find the source of the problem, the family hired a plumber to inspect the property for leaks. The plumber’s service report states no leaks were found and notes the technician was “not sure why” the water bill was so high.

Clayeon says the plumber suggested the issue could be related to the water meter.

Sarasota County, however, disputes that conclusion.

County officials say their records show more than 37,000 gallons of water were used at the property during a single billing cycle.

According to the county, staff sent notifications warning of the increased water consumption and later inspected the water meter on July 15. Officials say the meter passed inspection with no issues and that they also reviewed the account’s water consumption history with the resident.

The county says investigations into unusually high water bills can begin before payment is made. However, officials say the outstanding balance must be paid in full before water service can be restored after a disconnection for nonpayment.

County officials also said residents are notified when unusually high water usage is detected and are encouraged to investigate possible leaks, noting that repairs and leak detection on private property are the homeowner’s responsibility.

The family says the outstanding balance has now grown to more than $800, including a previous unpaid bill and the recent charge for the unusually high water usage.

They say paying the bill is a financial hardship, as the homeowner relies on Social Security for income.

For now, the family says they are focused on getting the water turned back on while continuing to search for an explanation behind the unusually high bill.

Sarasota County says once the outstanding balance is paid, water service can be restored on the next business day.