Julia Townsend has no running water in Toledo while she disputes a city utility bill exceeding $3,100. She and her husband now carry large jugs of water into the home to meet basic daily needs.
Townsend said the house sat empty from June 2025 until the couple moved in this August. They paid to activate service. Water soon pooled near the meter. City workers visited three times, shut off the flow, and left the large balance.
“They can’t even give us an answer. Only thing we know is the bill went from $52.67 to now $3,100 something,” Townsend said.
Townsend filed an appeal on Aug. 25, 2026. The city denied that appeal on Sept. 9, 2026. City officials then provided an account timeline to explain the recorded charges.
- September 2023: Crews set up the account and installed a meter.
- April 2024: A technician shut off the street line at the owner’s request.
- November 2024 to January 2025: The meter continued to log water usage.
- February 2025: A technician found reverse flow and signs pointing to tampering.
- June 2025: The city reactivated the account and billed for the recorded usage.
- July 13, 2026: Workers installed another meter with no leaks found.
- August 20, 2026: The city posted a shutoff notice for non-payment.
- August 27, 2026: Service was shut off for non-payment.
- August 28, 2026: A technician found a leak on the owner’s side.
- September 22 to 23, 2026: Crews sealed the line and logged a leak on the city’s side.
City officials said line leaks do not raise bills because unmetered water bypasses the gauge. The debt comes from use recorded between November 2024 and January 2025. The city reported no record of a restoration request or payment since 2024.
Townsend said she paid over $32 to restore service. She questioned how water flowed if an older balance remained on the account.
“Come out here, figure it out, it’s y’all job. I’m not no water company,” Townsend said.
City utility departments bill property owners for water flow recorded by physical meters. Municipalities routinely disconnect supply lines when accounts show prolonged non-payment. Staff members review meter logs and inspection reports during customer appeals.
Cindy Geronimo, Toledo commissioner of utilities administration, will help review remaining questions. The city encouraged residents to seek aid through the Fresh Start program before the Sept. 30 deadline at toledo.oh.gov/financial-assistance.
