A man from St. Petersburg is baffled by receiving a water bill amounting to hundreds of dollars for a Shore Acres home he hasn’t occupied since Hurricane Helene. 

When he contacted the city for clarification, he received no response. 

According to a city spokesperson speaking to WTSP, the billing department is currently working extra hours to deal with inquiries about water bills for homes damaged by floods.

Jack Cleary, a homeowner in Shore Acres, is desperate to find out if he’s obligated to pay the bill. During a visit to his home, he demonstrated that the main water valve was shut off while the house was being renovated.

“There’s no water coming out of here,” he explained to WTSP, turning the knob where his kitchen sink once was. “…the tub too. Turn that on, nothing comes out.”

On Tuesday, Cleary received a bill claiming he used 22,700 gallons of water costing $750 over one month in a home uninhabitable. After calling the city on Thursday, he was unable to get through.

“Half of the day today, called twice, both times, two hours, two and a half hours,” he reported. “And you time out, you get hung up on. There’s no one that actually answers the phone.”

WTSP managed to get a reply from the city, which explained that due to storm debris possibly covering or damaging water meters, they estimated bills based on usage from the previous three months. If these estimates are lower than actual usage once meters are readable, future bills could increase.

“While I appreciate the response, I just think that there’s a flaw in it,” Cleary commented. “I have a hard time believing that that estimation can come to 22,000 [gallons].”

To investigate further, Cleary plans to employ a leak detection service to check for any leaks, including in the water line connecting to city pipes. 

“My next recourse… is just going in person because you can’t hang up on me face to face,” he stated.

However, going in person might not resolve his queries immediately; he might need to go through the utility billing review committee to dispute the bill.

The city also noted another factor contributing to higher water bills: a rate increase that took effect just days after Hurricane Helene.

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(Image credit: City of St. Petersburg)