LAS VEGAS (FOX5) — Six hundred sixty-six dollars. That’s what one Valley senior was told she owed on her water bill—for supposedly using more than 50-thousand gallons in just two weeks.
The problem? She has no swimming pool, no bathtub, and nobody can figure out where the water went.
Teri Lynn Vander Heiden said her monthly water bills typically cost about $40. She could not understand the sudden spike to $666.
“I don’t have a swimming pool. I don’t even have a bathtub. So how would I be using 53,000 gallons of water?” Vander Heiden said.
When she called the water company, representatives told her the meter reading was accurate.
Investigation finds no leak source
Vander Heiden describes her residence as a “senior smart home” and maintains regular pipe inspections.
“Being a senior, I like to have them check every so many weeks on making sure everything’s working and functioning,” she said.
She contacted her plumber for an additional check-up, then called FOX5 Investigates for assistance. The Las Vegas Valley Water District confirmed the bill was not an error.
“We were able to see continuous flow passing through the customer’s water meter for 14 consecutive days. That led to 52,000 gallons of water use, which is really not the norm,” said Bronson Mack of the Las Vegas Valley Water District.
The property normally uses less than 3,000 gallons per month. Plumbers spent three days inspecting and retrofitting pipes, then checked the drip irrigation system.
“Nobody comes up with an answer. We can’t find an answer to it,” Vander Heiden said.
No leak, evidence, or explanation was found for the water usage.
“It’s still a mystery,” Vander Heiden said.
Water district offers assistance programs
The Water District arranged a payment plan for Vander Heiden and is helping her recover repair costs through customer assistance programs.
“We were then able to get the customer enrolled in some of the water district’s customer assistance programs, including the leak adjustment program. And we will be reaching out to her about applying for the leak repair and reimbursement program. So she may be able to get some of those dollars for the repairs that she made back,” Mack said.
Vander Heiden said she was satisfied with the response.
“I have to pat them all on the back because I never had so many people try and find an answer,” she said.
Prevention and assistance options
The Water District recommends customers sign up for online accounts to track daily water usage and identify spikes before they result in large bills.
Customers who receive unexpectedly high bills can access assistance programs, but must request them.
The Water District said these billing mysteries are rare but do occur. Customers facing similar situations can call the district’s customer service line to request site evaluations and ask about the leak adjustment program.
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