Portland family asking for city’s help after receiving $17,000 water bill

Joyce Ogirri
·2 min read
19

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — A North Portland family is dealing with a $17,000 water bill and they’re looking to the city for help.

The family told KOIN 6 News they moved back to the home to help their mother-in-law with expenses and then they received that massive water bill in the mail. They said they just want this to be resolved quickly.

Oregon unemployment claimants report long phone hold times 2 weeks after new site launch

The family, who wished to remain anonymous, received a bill from the Portland Water Bureau (PWB), stating they owed the city just over $17,000 by March 21. The city claims they used just over 1,600 cubic feet of water for the last three months.

“It’s pretty much two Olympic-sized pools so about 612,000 gallons of water which is not coming from us — six-people household,” one family member said. “There’s no way — we would have to be filling up trucks and trucks every day.”

The family said their last bill was just over $500.

Earlier this week, Three Mountains Plumbing came by their home on North Seneca Street. The plumbing company said it didn’t find any leaks.

Man sentenced to 9 years for dealing fentanyl to Portland teen who fatally overdosed in 2022

“There’s no water. The basement is dry and there’s no sinkholes anywhere on our property,” the family member said.

PWB sent out a crew Wednesday to install a flow recorder. They told us the bureau is working to resolve the issue and will keep the customer updated.

KOIN 6 News checked today by turning on the faucet inside the house and did see the water meter moving.

“This would break my in-laws. They don’t have that money and I don’t have that money,” the family member said.

Some community members ‘don’t have trust’ in Portland’s newly-minted crowd control cop team

In a statement, Portland City Commissioner Mingus Mapps said:

“An unexpected, large increase in a water bill like this clearly merits investigation. I’ve asked the water bureau to look into this and find the root issue.”

“We didn’t use that much water and I hope they don’t make us pay $17,000,” the family member said. “We’re just hoping we can get it solved.”

The family said they should hear back from PWB on Thursday.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KOIN.com.