Dozens of WSSC customers charged hundreds for water bill amid pandemic

Customers question price hike in water bills

Some WSSC customers have been waking up to water bills that are two, three, and sometimes even four times their normal amount.

NATIONAL HARBOR, Md. (FOX 5 DC) - It’s a bill no one wants to see right before Christmas.

Dozens of WSSC customers have complained on social media about their exorbitant water bill prices.

“It was a shock,” says Bethesda resident Seth Engel. “It was several times higher than our normal water bill.”

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FOX 5 obtained a recent bill from a customer only to find that her quarterly statement came out to over $700—more than three times what she normally pays.

We reached out to WSSC to find out why these bills are so high. They say the high bills can be partially attributed to people staying inside more.

“We are using more water because we are at home more. Usually, they're at work 8 hours a day now they’re home most of the day using the bathroom, washing your hands more,” says WSSC spokesperson Luis Maya.

He says that’s not the only thing driving up costs—plumbing issues could also be the culprit.

“You might not even know that leaks are sometimes the biggest reason for a high bill. You might not hear a toilet leak and that one is probably the culprit for high usages,” says Maya.

He says there are some things you can do now to help reduce your bill. He says people should try and take shorter showers. Also, when you’re washing your hands, turn off the water while you're scrubbing. Finally, use the dishwasher as opposed to hand washing. You’d be surprised how much water is wasted when you’re washing your dishes in the sink.

If you do have a large bill Maya says to contact WSSC. Many times they will send out someone to check your meter. If there are any discrepancies, they’ll adjust your bill and credit you any money back.

Maya says there may be more issues in terms of estimated bills vs. actual bills. He says anyone with an estimated bill should contact WSSC immediately. You could receive a credit if the estimates are off. However, it’s important to note that your estimated bill is based off of last year’s levels.