Why is my bill so high? Could the City have a leak under the street that is impacting me?

Many things can impact a water statement; during a period of drought, almost all residents will see some level of impact. Generally, the City has an annual rate increase because of the City of Houston raising its rates on purchased water. In most years, residents don’t really begin to use a great deal of water at their homes until late April or early May. With the lack of rain the last few years, many have started watering in mid-February and continue to increase consumption throughout our hottest summer in history. You are billed for the water that runs through your meter; if there is a leak in the street, that water does not go through your meter. Therefore, a leak in the street can only impact you through low water pressure or disruption of service while the leak is repaired. Because people and equipment are being utilized, errors can happen. That is why the City offers residents the opportunity to file for an adjustment once a year for an unusually large bill due to a defect or some unknown cause. Understand that when utility staff tells you to monitor your account for more than one bill, it is not to get more money from you, but to get to the real reason for the increase if it is not due to increased water usage. The adjustment is only allowed once per 12-month period; if you file for it after one high bill and you have a leak, then you lose the chance to recoup some of the loss for additional affected months.

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1. What utilities does West University Place provide?
2. How do I set up my utility service?
3. How do I terminate my utility service when I move?
4. How do I set up automatic payments?
5. What is the link to pay online by credit card?
6. How do I pay/view my utility bill on-line?
7. Does West U really read the water meters each month or is it estimated?
8. Will I get my adjustment on the bill I have in hand now? Do I have to pay this bill or can I wait for the adjustment?
9. Why is my bill so high? Could the City have a leak under the street that is impacting me?
10. Can I see what my bill is online?
11. Can you explain the time factor in the utility billing process?
12. Do you waive the late fees if I didn't receive my bill?
13. Can you waive late fees for customers with good payment history?
14. I got a late fee on my account but my check shows I paid it before the due date.
15. What are some of the things that could cause me a problem with my utility account or cause me to have late fees?
16. Why do you cut off residential water? What about families with older adults or children?
17. What happens if I need to enter into a payment plan?
18. I pay using my bank's bill-paying program. Is that an electronic transfer that is credited on the same day as my bank takes the money from my account?
19. What kind of information do we need to provide to maintain current customer records?
20. What do I do before, during and after a delinquent termination of service?
21. What discounts do I get on my water bill when I turn 65?
22. If I have had an account in West U for years, you have my information ---right?
23. What is the ordinance about utility payments?
24. So you have missed your utility payment? What should you expect to happen?