A Detroit man says he was wrongly billed for more than 110,000 gallons of water over two months, claiming he and his disabled mother never used anywhere near that amount.
Roderick Wright, who cares for his mother Dorothy, said their water bills suddenly skyrocketed after years of consistently low usage at her east-side Detroit home. Dorothy, who has dementia and uses a wheelchair, has lived in the house for decades.
Wright told Fox 2 Detroit that his May and June water bills showed the family had used about 110,000 gallons total, including about 60,000 gallons in one month and another 46,000 gallons the next.
“I don’t see how we used 110,000 gallons. That’s enough to fill three or four swimming pools,” he told the news station. “I guess we have a pool somewhere in the back, and a jacuzzi, but we don’t have that.”
After receiving the unexpected charges, Wright said the family took steps to investigate the problem. They had the home’s water meter replaced and hired a plumber to check for possible leaks, including running toilets or other plumbing issues that could cause excessive water usage. According to Wright, the inspection did not find any leaks or problems that would explain the dramatic increase.
Despite the inspections, the family received another large bill, with Wright saying they were charged for an additional 46,000 gallons of water and faced another $370 bill.
“I don’t want them to come and turn the water off to the house,” Wright said.
The Detroit Water and Sewerage Department reportedly told Fox 2 Detroit that the family has been enrolled in its Easy Pay program, protecting them from water shutoff while the issue is addressed. The department also adjusted the charges through its leak credit program, reducing the bill to reflect the family’s typical water usage before the spike occurred.
While city officials maintain the excessive water use was likely caused by a leak, possibly from a running toilet that went unnoticed, Wright continues to dispute that explanation, saying multiple inspections found no evidence of any leak.
The Independent has contacted the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department for comment.
