A Florida renter said he discovered a staggering $30,198.77 utility balance only after water service at an Apopka rental home was shut off, and city records showed the property had used more than 1 million gallons in a single billing period.
Here's what to know
For the East First Street property, the utility account showed $9,308.28 in charges for the Aug. 3 through Sept. 3 billing cycle on top of a $20,890.49 past-due balance. WKMG ClickOrlando reported that renter Adam Golden saw the total after logging into the account.
"We logged in to see what the situation was, and it was a $30,198 bill," Golden told News 6.
The latest bill equals roughly 32,800 gallons a day, capping a steady rise in usage over several months. City records showed consumption going from 10,900 gallons in April to 57,262 in May, 330,144 in June, 669,976 in July, 860,642 in August, and 1,015,601 gallons on the newest statement.
Apopka public information director Steven Montiero said the jump was far from normal. "We don't see things like that, even with our previous water billing issues," Montiero said. "The spike here was rather dramatic."
More background
Officials said they do not believe the situation is tied to Apopka's earlier water-meter and billing troubles. Instead, they think the problem came from the private side of the property, not the city's side of the meter.
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Following an inspection, the city said it suspects a slab leak, meaning a plumbing leak beneath the home's foundation. Problems like that can become especially expensive because they may keep running unnoticed for long stretches while treated water continues passing through the meter and onto the utility bill.
Beyond driving up monthly charges, a hidden leak can waste huge amounts of water and potentially affect the ground or even the area around a home's foundation. Golden said one of his main concerns was understanding where all that water had ended up.
"That's a huge concern," Golden said. "They went and did the jump test on a bunch of spots to see if there was any, like, sink or any moisture … and that's what's weird. There wasn't."
What's being done?
According to Golden, a plumber has already found and repaired the leak, with additional work still planned. He said the plumber also intends to replumb the home as a precaution.
On Sept. 23, the city installed what it calls an Ally meter, which officials say lets staff control service remotely while the plumbing issue is being addressed. The city said that once repair documentation is submitted, it will review the account and decide what credit to apply.
Looking ahead, Golden said he wants the bill adjusted after the line is fixed: "The plumber fixes the line and they average our bill back out to what it should've been." For Montiero, the scale of the water loss remained the big question: "Where does a million gallons of residential water go in just August?"
Where can I learn more?
Hidden leaks and sudden billing spikes have left other renters and homeowners facing eye-popping water charges. These stories cover unexplained usage jumps, repair disputes, and simple meter checks that can reveal a problem.
• A renter discovered a still-spinning meter pointed to a costly hidden leak.
• In Terry, Mississippi, a resident's water bill jumped overnight without a clear explanation.
• In California, summer rate tiers kept a homeowner's reduced water use costly.
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