A Detroit resident, Larnese Davis, who is 82 years old and lives alone on the city’s west side, was recently presented with a water bill totaling $32,000. This staggering sum led her daughter, Tiffany Damerond, to seek assistance after months of attempting to resolve the issue with the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department (DWSD).
Damerond, who helps manage her mother's bills, explained that their typical water bill ranges between $250 and $260 every few months. However, this spring, the family received a bill for more than $1,800. Following this, Damerond said that water department workers and a plumber visited the home over several months. During these visits, no leak was found at the property, and the existing water meter appeared to be functioning correctly.
Despite these checks, another bill arrived, escalating to $16,000. Damerond expressed her mother’s distress over the situation. “She was stressed out,” Damerond recounted, adding that Davis worried about how such a bill could be paid and the possibility of her water being shut off. After continued attempts to get answers from the water department went unanswered, the family then received the $32,000 bill.
It was only after Damerond sought external intervention that a resolution began to unfold. Following that outreach, she received a phone call from the water department. According to Damerond, the caller stated they would be coming to check the meter, and then clarified, “Actually, I am switching out the meter.”
Sam Smalley, Deputy Director for the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department, confirmed that the issue stemmed from a problem with a meter supplied by a vendor. Smalley explained that the vendor had certified their meter package as compliant with the DWSD’s existing technology, but it "had not done the things necessary to be compliant." This non-compliance was the root cause of the inaccurate billing for Larnese Davis.
Smalley indicated that this issue might affect other Detroiters as well. The department currently has approximately 1,000 of these non-compliant meters in their warehouse. Additionally, six more such meters are currently "out in the field" in residents' homes. The DWSD is actively working to contact these customers proactively to address any potential billing inaccuracies stemming from these meters.
The Deputy Director reiterated the department’s commitment to accurate billing and apologized for the inconvenience caused. Smalley assured residents that if they are experiencing an issue with their water bill, the department would come out immediately to investigate and resolve the matter. Appointments can be made to address concerns promptly. Detroit residents who believe they are experiencing similar billing issues or have questions about their water service can contact the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department at 313-267-8000 for assistance.