Residents of St. Petersburg continue to receive extraordinarily high water bills months after city officials claimed billing issues were resolved, with thousands of billing adjustments required and no clear solution in sight.

The Problem

Michelle McConnell, a longtime resident who typically paid $79 monthly for water service, received a $2,200 bill in February claiming she used over 130,000 gallons of water—equivalent to filling a residential swimming pool five times. City inspectors found no leaks at her property, and a city worker acknowledged the reading appeared to be an error.

Despite this assessment, McConnell’s dispute has continued for 10 months. The city temporarily shut off her water service, and she now pays $279 monthly plus late fees while seeking resolution.

Scale of the Issue

City data reveals nearly 7,000 water bill adjustments were made between September 2024 and February 2025, with 3,285 attributed to meter over-reads. The city hired external auditors in March, but officials say the root cause remains unidentified.

City Response

At an August city council meeting, officials attributed the billing problems to last year’s hurricanes. However, residents report experiencing issues both before and after the storms. The city council passed new measures earlier this year to streamline the bill dispute process, though effectiveness remains questionable based on ongoing cases.

Current Status

The City of St. Petersburg and Mayor’s office have not responded to requests for comment or copies of the audit. Separately, the State Department of Government Efficiency has requested utility records as part of a broader financial audit of the city.

The timeline for resolving either investigation remains unclear.

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