Water Bill Too High?

Surprised by an unexpectedly high utility bill? A higher than normal utility bill is typically caused by one of two things—a change in your typical water use or a leak somewhere on your property.

Examples of changes in water use:

  • An increase in the size of your household, for example, recent house guests or children who are now home for summer vacations or school holidays
  • Filling or topping off a swimming pool or hot tub
  • Watering the lawn more than usual, such as when you’re establishing new sod
  • Pressure washing areas of your home

Potential water leak sources:

  • A leaking toilet
  • A dripping faucet
  • Leaking garden hoses, spigots or irrigation systems
  • A broken water pipe

Here are some steps you can take if your water bill was higher than normal:  

  1. Step 1: Compare the reading on your water meter against the reading on your utility bill

    The reading on the meter should be greater than the one shown on your bill.

    • If your current meter reading is LOWER than the one shown on your bill, contact the Utilities Call Center at (813) 274-8811 to request a re-read of your meter.
    • If your current meter reading is HIGHER than the one shown on your bill, and you haven’t changed your regular water use, you may want to check for leaks.
  2. Step 2: Check for leaks

    Leaks can waste hundreds, even thousands, of gallons of water. There are many places where a leak can originate, and some leaks are hard to detect.

  3. Step 3: Make payment arrangements or submit a Leak Adjustment Form after repairing a leak

    Payment Arrangements

    Need more time to get current? We can set up flexible payment arrangements. Submit a request for a payment extension or monthly payment plan by:

    • Contacting the Utilities Call Center at (813) 274-8811
    • Logging into your account at the Customer Service Portal at utilities.tampa.gov

    Submit a Leak Adjustment Form

    After you repair a leak, you may be eligible for a billing adjustment. Here are some general guidelines to follow if you plan on submitting a request:

    • If your utility account does not have at least one full year of water consumption history, it may not be possible to review your account for an adjustment until a usage history is established.
    • The following documentation is required to process your request for a leak adjustment:

Have a question about submitting a leak adjustment request or the status of a request that you’ve already submitted? Please contact the Utilities Call Center by calling (813) 274-8811 or via the Customer Service Center.