Hey everyone, I'm in a bit of a bind. My water bill for a 4-plex apartment just skyrocketed from about $700 a month to a whopping $2800! The water company claims this is a normal increase based on usage, but that doesn't seem right to me. Over two years, the bill jumped from $700 to $1400, and then doubled again to $2800 this year despite the same tenants living here. They won't check the meter, citing policy, and I've ruled out any visible leaks. I'm thinking about checking for underground leaks, but I could really use some advice. Are there services that can test my water meter, or any tips on how to proceed?
3 Answers
Wow, that’s a huge jump! In Michigan, I pay like $34 a month, so I can’t even imagine. Have you looked into your actual water usage versus just the cost? Maybe it’s a combination of both. Rentals can sometimes surprise you with how much water they actually consume, especially if any toilets are running.
Yikes, $2800 a month? That's wild! I had a similar spike and it turned out there was a leak in the service line to my house. The water company checked the meter with me—it wasn’t easy, but I had to shut off the water inside and watch the meter. If it keeps running, you might have a hidden issue like that too. Don’t hesitate to call a plumbing company just to get a second opinion
First off, have you checked the actual usage? It sounds like your rates could have changed significantly. Make sure everything in the building is off, then check the meter to see if it’s still running. Toilets are notorious for leaks—definitely inspect those! If the meter moves when everything's supposed to be off, you could have an underground leak.