Why Is My Kirksville Water Bill So High? Understanding Leak Adjustments

A suddenly high Kirksville water bill does not automatically mean the meter is wrong.

The City says leaks are the single most common cause of unusually high bills.

The useful way to approach the problem is to separate three questions:

1. Is the reading accurate?
2. Is water actually being lost through a leak?
3. Does the leak qualify for a City billing adjustment?

The City verifies unusually high readings

The City's current Water Billing page says that when a customer-service representative submits a reading that appears unusually high, the reading is checked.

The City also makes a reasonable effort to notify someone at the property.

City personnel do not enter the home to inspect faucets, toilets or private plumbing.

That means the City can verify the meter reading without diagnosing the actual leak inside the property.

Check for water use before assuming meter failure

Common places to investigate include:

• toilets that continue running;
• dripping faucets;
• outdoor hoses or hydrants;
• water heaters;
• appliances connected to water;
• underground private-side service-line leaks.

If no obvious leak is found, compare the meter reading with the bill and ask the Finance Department what the City recorded.

When can a leak adjustment be considered?

The City's current public summary says a leak adjustment may be available when:

• the leak caused the bill to reach at least four times the customer's average usage;
• the customer can provide a valid receipt for parts or repair;
• the address has not already received an adjustment within the applicable three-year period.

The adjustment is applied to the highest water bill of the leak period.

The City's current summary says the ordinary adjustment cannot exceed 50% of the leak cost above the customer's average bill.

That is eligibility language, not a guarantee.

The Finance Department determines whether an adjustment applies.

Repair documentation matters

Do not throw away repair receipts or parts receipts.

The City's leak policy specifically requires documentation.

If a contractor is involved, ask the Finance Department whether any additional current licensing or receipt requirements apply before assuming the paperwork is sufficient.

What if the meter seems wrong?

A leak adjustment and a meter-accuracy dispute are different processes.

The City allows customers to request a meter test.

Its current billing page says that if the meter's error is greater than 1.5%, the inaccurate consumption can be adjusted. If the error is less than 1.5%, no adjustment is made and the customer is billed the posted meter-test charge.

Who to call

For billing and leak-adjustment questions, contact the City Finance Department at 660-627-1251.

For a suspected public-side water-line problem, the responsibility boundary is different. See Water-Line Repairs in Kirksville.

A high bill is evidence that something changed. The first job is figuring out whether that change is real water consumption, a leak or a meter issue before arguing with the number.