Residents of Gulfport have reported that their water bills have dramatically increased this month, doubling or even tripling, despite not being home to use water due to recent storms.

Patrick Barrett noted that his water usage last month was 2,200 gallons, which surged to 4,200 gallons this month. “Which doesn’t make any sense because I was here, 25% less than normal,” Barrett explained. “We evacuated for the storm. We were gone for five days. We came back. Our usage was reduced due to the boil water notice. And then I look at my bill, my water and sewer were about double what it was last month.”

WFLA inquired with the city about these increases. City Manager James O’Reilly responded that there’s no link between the high water bills and hurricane damage. “Well, city council levied an 8% utility cost increase effective Oct. 1,” O’Reilly stated. “Because of our cost associated with the purchase from the city of St. Petersburg.” He clarified that these increases are independent of water consumption.

Another resident, who chose to remain anonymous, showed WFLA his bills, highlighting a significant increase in August while he was away on vacation. He found no evidence of water running when he returned. The city claimed 45,000 gallons were used, but there was no visible consumption.

O’Reilly mentioned, “They feel that they have issues related to the cost, we will look at their individual bill. We have a data log. We know when they were home, when they weren’t home, and things like that.”

Barrett was unaware of the 8% increase and questioned the accuracy of his meter reading, wondering why his usage would be assumed to double without explanation. “On top of the stress from the hurricane, my girlfriend is out of work right now, it’s just not something we needed,” Barrett said. “You know, it’s just adding to the stress and compounding on everything else. Other people were saying that they had the same thing happen. It seems like how many people is this happening to that don’t notice it and just pay it. Are they going to be credited back or is the city just pocketing this money?”

The City of Gulfport provided this statement to WFLA:

“Thank you for reaching out to us regarding the recent individual’s concern about utility bills in Gulfport. We understand that a number of customers have noticed an increase in their utility bills, and we appreciate the opportunity to address these concerns.

At this time, we are not aware of any connection between the recent utility infrastructure issues experienced by the City of St. Petersburg and the billing changes Gulfport residents may be experiencing. Customers who have concerns regarding their water usage are encouraged to contact our office directly at 727-893-1016 or via email at utilitiesinfo@mygulfport.us. Our team is happy to assist with reviewing individual accounts and addressing any concerns related to utility usage and the applicable charges for service.

Water or sewer adjustments are evaluated on a case-by-case basis. We encourage residents to contact us so we can review their accounts in detail and determine if any billing adjustments are warranted.”

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(Image credit: Igor Nikushin/Getty Images)