Atlanta woman says water bill jumped from $13 to $20,000 a month despite having 'no working plumbing' in her building — what you can do in the face of outrageous bills

“I saw $16,000,” Mapp told Fox 5 Atlanta of the January 2023 charges. The following month, her bill climbed to $17,478, and in March 2023 it was $17,609. In April 2023, she was billed $20,231.

After several months, the utility claimed she owed $81,083 in water bills.

Here’s what happened.

'No working plumbing'

Upon receiving the fourth outrageous water bill, Mapp hired the first of three plumbers to inspect the building.

“They said there is no water, no working plumbing in the building,” she explained. “There is no water coming from the meter to the building.”

That same month, April 2023, the city sent a technician to the site. According to Fox 5, his notes showed there was "no leak found" on the city's side of the meter.

Mapp requested an adjustment to her bill, but was denied at first. She took her claim to an appeals hearing this past March, where a city representative suggested, even with no plumbing, there might still be a leak within the property. But Mapp insists there’s no leak — certainly not one that would use up nearly 700,000 gallons of water in a single month — based on the evidence shown to her by plumbers.

The water meter was replaced for a second time, and by September 2023, Mapp says her bill went back down to $13.12. As for the outstanding balance, the city would eventually credit $5,000 to the account, according to Fox 5, leaving Mapp responsible for around $76,000. She has taken the city to court over the remaining balance, and is waiting for the judges decision, per the local broadcaster.

What property owners can do

According to Fox 5, Mapp’s building wasn’t the only one having water issues in the area. The newsroom says city records show other nearby properties that experienced “unusually high water usage.” When utility bills climb, property owners need to take action to fix the problem before it results in a massive debt to the utility.