+37 votes
by (4.1k points)
I just my water bill today and it's for $572! I live in a single family house and I don't think it's ever been over $100 before. Anyone else get a strange bill like this?  
I just my water bill today and it's for $572!

31 Answers

+22 votes
by (5.6k points)
 
Best answer
Yes, they charge us for the water that floods our homes  
+2 votes
by (1.9k points)
Call the billing dept see if u can get someone to comeout and check for a leak
+28 votes
by (760 points)
Call public works and see if they can check for leaks!  
+22 votes
by (6.1k points)
Our bill won’t come til June or July
+26 votes
by (1.1k points)
If your toilet runs, that could make it high, if so you have to change the float. It happened to me.  
+25 votes
by (580 points)
Mine water bill came $435. I quickly called the number on the bill , found it was an error and get it adjusted accordingly. I even was granted for deferred payment so I am good till June or July. I am happy now .  
+4 votes
by (7.9k points)
If you don't think it's ever been over $100 before, then you clearly do not live in Des Plaines.  
by (3.1k points)
@cheng yep 2 month billing cycle for water/garbage pickup. Very reasonably priced.  
by (620 points)
@cheng mine is just over $100 per month usually for a 4 unit building in DP or like 11 people. and that’s with a shower leak I just fixed. so it sounds like you might have a water problem.  
by (7.9k points)
Over $200 every other month single family 3 ba includes trash.  
by (6.2k points)
Mine was $98. 91by monthly house of 6
+10 votes
by (750 points)
Mine went from $70. 00 to $205. 00. We called and they said it was because we had an old meter.  
by (350 points)
@fanaticize did they change your meter and if they did it was th reading from inside number and outside number.  
by (750 points)
@arborvitae6 they didn't change it. They suggested we change to the new meter.  
by (350 points)
@fanaticize When that happens and you have two numbers, there is a number outside your house and there’s a number on the meter inside the house. If the number on the outside of the house is higher than the number on the inside of the house you will pay the difference. Change your toilet first and then deal with it.  
by (1.5k points)
@arborvitae6 There is not meter inside my house. A new meter was installed outside last year. But nothing in the house.  
by (7.9k points)
@endoergic4 The inside meter is on top of the main valve where the water comes just inside the house from outside. It's where you turn the main valve off if you have to have work done inside the house.  
+19 votes
by (6.2k points)
Mine was normal
+11 votes
by (2.9k points)
Mine was normal.  
+16 votes
by (5.4k points)
Normal here
+20 votes
by (4.2k points)
Mine was pretty normal!  
+9 votes
by (1.3k points)
Ours was normal. I would have them check it out. That’s way to much.  
+18 votes
by (5k points)
Normal here.  
+24 votes
by (4.1k points)
I never had over $110 Before. We must have a leak and they say they can’t Come inside the house. Ugh!  
+31 votes
by (800 points)
Yes mine was also high don’t know why
+8 votes
by (4.1k points)
Ok anyone have a plumber recommendation. We probably need to get an old toilet replaced
by (7.9k points)
@guatemala viking
by (1.9k points)
@guatemala Brendan Balow Handyman Services 773-818-9425 he can replace a toilet
by (7.9k points)
@guatemala it's probably not the toilet that's to blame. First try a new flapper. It's the plastic piece at the bottom of the tank that covers the hole. If there is a leak you can intermittently hear the water running to refill the tank. After that check the chain length from the flushing lever to the flapper. If it is too short the water will leak out and you can hear it running again. Then check the outdoor faucets and put new washers. Check indoor faucets for drips. Try turning everything off and then listen. That's all I can think of now.  
+1 vote
by (2.7k points)
Mine was average
+10 votes
by (2.5k points)
Art, as long as you're on City water and not Illinois American Water, you can login to the water usage portal here to see how this compares to your regular usage:  If your usage is way out of wack with usual, you should 1. check for a leak, 2. make sure it's not an error, and then 3. call the City's finance department and ask about the program that the City has there they will waive one water bill every few years if it is way out of line with the norm and you can demonstrate that you fixed the problem. I have had residents save many hundreds of dollars with this program due to anomalous readings where there was a leak or someone left a hose on or something.  
https://my-depl.sensus-analytics.co...ignin
by (4.1k points)
@erelia23982 thanks. I called the utility billing and they mentioned they could possibly help with financing over a longer period of time but not any sort of credit. I wonder if I should try emailing my aldermen too
+7 votes
by (410 points)
My bill last month was 4 times my normal bill. Over $250 and it’s usually around $60. I called and they said that they could send someone out, but then called and canceled until further notice.  
+29 votes
by (750 points)
I would contact the city and dispute. It’s prob an error in billing.  
+11 votes
by (1k points)
Ours was doubled
+30 votes
by (570 points)
Had this once. a toilet!  
+16 votes
by (800 points)
Close. Off your toilet
+13 votes
by (800 points)
That is very common and very frequent and easy to repair
0 votes
by (1.3k points)
My road is still flooded. No mail. No bills.  
+18 votes
by (470 points)
If you have an lawn sprinkler system, be sure to check that as well.  
+13 votes
by (8.8k points)
Check your toilets. you'd be surprised how much water is used with one that is leaky/running.  
by (4.1k points)
@sheff I think it was the toilet in the powder room. It looks like the flapper wasn’t closing completely. I’m not keeping an eye on our (old manual) water meter to make sure it that did the trick
by (8.8k points)
I live in a large condo building. 1 leaky toilet raised our water bill $2k. Best of luck!  
by (4.2k points)
@sheff did they negotiate or did you have to pay whole thing?  
by (8.8k points)
@beaudette no, we had to pay the whole thing. They would not discount, which is understandable
+16 votes
by (1.5k points)
My water bill is never over $14. 00! What the heck are you doing?  
by (4.1k points)
Check above reply☝️. Looks like a leaky toilet was likely the culprit
+3 votes
by (1.5k points)
Is the toilet running? That can cost a lot. Sounds like a leak.  
+33 votes
by (4.1k points)
We had that same problem last yr, the city had to change the meter.  
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