'Never Had A Spike Like This:' Water Bills Skyrocket For Yukon Residents

Water is a hot commodity, especially in the summer.

However, some people in Yukon are paying the price for it, literally, as their water bills have skyrocketed.

News 9 talked to several people in one northwest Oklahoma City neighborhood whose water bill.

Several of the bills were over $500 and $600, which is not the average they normally see.

Every drop of water counts, as reflected on the monthly water bill.

“I have no problem paying for my water consumption; I mean, that's life,” said Audra Upton.

Upton had no problem with it until she opened her latest bill. “It is a shock bill,” Upton said. 

Her bill was $557 for July, a huge increase from her $128 bill last month.

“I have a swimming pool, so I do expect to have some increase in my water bills and running sprinklers,” Upton said. “I've never had a spike like this.”

Upton says she soon found out she wasn’t alone, as her neighbors started posting their high bills on Facebook.

“Wait a second. We might be on to something,” Upton said. There’s definitely a trend.”

She started collecting the bills. “We're talking about averages of 10,000 gallons to suddenly 61,000 gallons,” Upton noted. 

Most bills showed a cost four times what they paid the previous month. “That's substantial for a lot of families,” Upton said.

According to the city, sudden spikes could be signs of a leak. But in Upton's case, it wasn't.

“I believe the water consumption is probably correct. It just didn't all occur in July, and when you give us that spike, we're now paying at a substantially higher rate,” Upton said.

That, for most, will be auto-drafted next week.

“I never imagined that I needed to be monitoring my water reading and my meter, but I can tell you now, I will check it every single month,” she said.

Upton took more than 15 of her neighbors’ bills to attach to her complaint to the city and is waiting to hear back.

The city encourages customers who experience a sudden or unusual spike in their bill to contact a customer service representative at 405-297-2833 to investigate the issue.

The city also released this information for customers:

Things to keep in mind:

1. Sudden spikes in usage can often indicate a water leak.
2. To check for outdoor leaks, conduct a sprinkler check-up and look for broken sprinkler heads/pipes, misdirected spray, or puddling or pooling around hardscape areas.
3. Check automatic sprinkler systems for hidden programs or overly long run times. Most Oklahoma turfgrasses do not need more than 1” of water per week during the summer, so any watering beyond that is excessive and not needed for optimal grass growth. Most modern sprinkler systems offer programs for “odd-even” scheduling and include rain or weather sensors that will turn off the system when rain occurs.
4. Check outdoor spigots.
5. Check for indoor leaks such as silent toilet leaks or leaks in a sink faucet or from a shower head. This is especially true in homes with spare bathrooms that may not be used frequently.

For more information about leaks and how to save on your water bill during the summer, visit okc.gov/utilities and squeezeeverydrop.com.