St. Petersburg officials have pledged not to cut off water service or impose additional late fees on residents hit with unexpectedly high utility bills following Hurricanes Helene and Milton.

During a tense meeting Thursday, city council members pressed administrators for answers but received little clarity on how many customers were affected or why bills had skyrocketed. Frustrated by the lack of information, the council unanimously voted to bypass standard procedures and hold an emergency meeting on Feb. 20 to address what they called an overly complex city code.

City Administrator Rob Gerdes emphasized the need to examine the billing code, which governs how anomalies are handled. However, Councilmember Gina Driscoll stressed the urgency of providing immediate relief.

“I don’t want anyone’s water shut off because they owe $2,000 when they should owe $200,” she said.

Her colleagues agreed, and Gerdes assured them that no accounts would be deactivated and no additional late fees would be charged while the city worked to resolve the issue.

Thousands of Meters Went Unread

The city serves 103,000 utility customers, with 15 employees responsible for reading 5,000 meters daily. In the aftermath of the storms, access to many meters was blocked—3,000 after Helene and 10,000 following Milton, according to Candice Winter, interim billing and collections director. As a result, the city estimated usage, leading to dramatically inflated water bills, some exceeding $1,000.

Mayor Ken Welch suspended late fees and shutoffs until Jan. 1, but a backlog of 1,200 unresolved cases remains. Officials hope to address them within 60 days.

Residents Demand Answers

Frustrated residents have inundated council members with complaints about bills that soared unexpectedly after the storms. City officials initially attributed the discrepancies to leaks, but Driscoll questioned the likelihood of so many simultaneous leaks. Gerdes suggested that storm surges could have caused issues, such as disconnected laundry machines wasting water while homeowners were away.

One disabled veteran challenged her $1,000 bill, saying it was impossible for her to use 3,900 gallons in a month. She provided photographic evidence of her meter readings and, after a lengthy appeal process, received only a $39 adjustment.

“Please, someone help us,” she pleaded. “I will be forced out of my home if this continues.”

Calls for Accountability

Councilmember Brandi Gabbard questioned whether the city had fully investigated its own role in potential leaks. Public Works Director Claude Tankersley said the billing system’s configuration made that impossible, adding that a document suggesting otherwise contained a typo.

Councilmember Richie Floyd asked for an estimate of affected customers and how many cases had been resolved, but Assistant City Administrator Tom Greene had no answers.

Councilmember Deborah Figgs-Sanders criticized the city’s handling of complaints, saying residents felt disrespected and dismissed. She also pointed out that officials had not addressed the possibility of billing errors.

“What if we really did make a mistake?” she asked. “That is not a ‘my bad’ moment.”

New Rates, New Problems

Gerdes noted that recently installed digital meters detect water usage more precisely. Additionally, a restructured rate system—implemented between Helene and Milton—was designed to reward conservation and penalize heavy consumption. Bills for the highest-tier users have nearly tripled since fiscal year 2024, catching many residents off guard, especially those using autopay.

Councilmember Lisset Hanewicz expressed frustration that the council wasn’t informed of the issue until Jan. 29, making it difficult to assess the scale of the problem.

“We don’t want to make decisions based on anecdotal evidence,” she said.Officials are expected to present more details and potential solutions at the Committee of the Whole meeting on Feb. 20. Residents with billing concerns can contact the Utility Accounts Customer Service Call Center at 727-893-7341, Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

(Image credit: Bay News 9)