Homeowner gets $6,000 water bill amid irregular bills in St. Pete
High water bills after the hurricanes
FOX 13’s Genevieve Curtis continues to report on the high water bills many Pinellas County residents have experienced since the hurricane hit the region in late 2024. The County finally admitted to one resident that it made a mistake—worth thousands of dollars in some cases.
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla - A $6,000 water bill will certainly get your attention. One St. Petersburg homeowner was shocked by the bill he received, when his bill is normally around $100.
"When you have a $5,900 bill due in six days, it's a little stressful," Tony Bracci said.
FOX13 brought his case along with cases from other viewers, to the city’s attention.
This week, FOX13 received a response that he should hire a plumber and check for a leak. The city said it was likely some issue on his private property.
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But Friday, Bracci received a call from the water department admitting the meter was read incorrectly.
"They actually used the house across the street's reading for mine and that's why it was so far out of whack," he said.

A St. Pete homeowner got a $6000 water bill amid the city receiving complaints about other irregular bills.
With dozens of homeowners facing alarmingly high water bills, some in the thousands, it’s unclear how many of them could be due to a misread.
Tony’s neighbor, Barry Fry, is still dealing with his high bill, and he doesn’t have a leak either.
"They said they estimated my water use in October and November. And then when i got my bill in December, it was over $1,000, which was crazy," Fry said.
His home flooded during Helene. He said the high bills are insult to injury.
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"It’s ridiculous. And the lack of empathy when you talk to somebody, they're like, well, you better pay it, or we're going to cut your water off," he said.

A St. Pete homeowner got a $6000 water bill amid the city receiving complaints about other irregular bills.
We’ve asked the city if they plan to conduct an audit or look into the pattern of irregular water bills. A spokesperson said they were looking into our request.
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Bracci said it’s a good reminder for people to check their bills.
What to do if you have a high water bill
- File a petition with the city’s utility billing review commission.
- Make sure your bills are not on auto draft
- Ask for an extension on your bill while you go through the petition process.
The Source: Information for this story was gathered by FOX 13's Genevieve Curtis.
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