Theories flood in about astronomical spike in resident’s water bill

Toronto Water insists the $3,674 water bill we wrote about Tuesday is not a mistake, but not many people are buying it.

Dozens of readers responded to our column about the tenfold increase in Jessica Duce’s quarterly water bill, including some interesting theories on how it could have happened.

Duce’s bill for the last three months of 2014 jumped from an average of about $350 to $3,674, with no corresponding increase in consumption, and no mercy from Toronto Water, which insists the bill be paid.

She eventually discovered two leaky toilets, but they continued to leak throughout the first quarter of this year, when her bill reverted back to about $350, which rules them out as the cause of the spike.

One reader said there’s “zero chance” Duce could have used nearly 300,000 gallons in 90 days, noting that it adds up to three 45-gallon drums of water for every hour in the three-month period.

“Why is it so hard for common sense to be found when dealing with anyone at the city?” he asked.

Colin Foster offered a plausible theory on how it could have happened, focusing on the old mechanical meter on which the reading is based, which was replaced in late December with a new electronic meter.

“The ‘10 times higher’ factor could be a tipoff,” said Foster, who describes himself as a “math geek at large.”

“If her bill was around $350 and the rate for water is $3.1945/m3, then she’s using 110m3 each quarter.”

He suggests the meter “turned the ‘next wheel’ when it shouldn’t have, e.g., from 10,499 to 11,500 (instead of 10,500), or turned it two notches instead of one, e.g., 10,999 to 12,000 (instead of 11,000).

“Because of a simple fault in the wheel numbers, the bill would be 10 times bigger.”

Many readers told us they’ve had similar one-time spikes in their bills, with no explanation that squares with their monthly usage and no backdown on the part of Toronto Water.

Sabah Mirza, who lives just around the corner from Duce, on Prennan Ave., said her last bill for 2014 leapt to $1,278, an amount based on a reading from an old meter that was replaced at the end of the year, just like Duce’s.

Even when Mizra filled her swimming pool with a hose, the bill was less than $800, she said.

Maria Landau says she got a bill for about $1,300 a few years ago, when it would normally be about $150, and was repeatedly told that she used the water and had to pay.

“After many tears (I was a single parent at the time, with limited income), I decided to write the office of the mayor. Within a couple of days, the whole situation was investigated, and they had put someone else’s account on my bill.” What’s broken in your neighbourhood? Wherever you are in Greater Toronto, we want to know. To contact us, go to thestar.com/yourtoronto/the_fixer or call us at 416-869-4823 email jlakey@thestar.ca. To read our blog, go to thestar.com/news/the_fixer. Report problems and follow us on Twitter @TOStarFixer.