Is Your Bill Unusually High?

Surprised by a High Bill?



1. Your water use was higher.

By far, these are the most common reasons for higher water bills.

  • Did you increase your outdoor watering?
  • Did you have house guests?
  • Did you refill a swimming pool?

Note that increased outdoor water use in late spring often causes a higher rate to kick-in. See Rates and Fees to understand what you are paying.

Conserving water may be your best option to reduce your water bill. Visit our Conservation page for tips to save.

2. You may have a leak on your property.

Leaks from pipes, plumbing fixtures and fittings are a significant source of water waste for many households. Some studies show that the typical home can lose between 2,000 to 20,000 gallons of water per year due to leaks.

While some leaks are obvious, such as a dripping faucet, many other leaks go undetected for months or years because the source of the leak is not visible.

Check our resource on Finding Leaks for tips on how to search for leaks.

3. There may have been a meter reading error.

Meter reading accuracy is very high (over 90%), but mistakes do occur. If you haven’t used more water and don’t have a leak, try reading your meter.

  • Compare the meter reading on your most recent bill with what’s on your physical meter (accounting for water use since bill was issued).
  • If the reading on your bill is higher than the read on the meter, there has probably been a mistake.
  • Please write down the meter reading and call customer service to report the information.

Need Help reading your meter? Visit our How to Read Your Meter page.

4. New rates were effective in March.

The El Paso Water Public Service Board (PSB) goes through an annual budget review process in late fall and determines whether rates need to be adjusted and by how much. Following a public hearing process, the PSB will vote on any changes in January. Any changes to rates take effect in March.

Please see Rates and Fees to understand if changes to rates are a factor in your higher bill.

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