Were the previous owners set up on a budget payment plan (where they bill the same every month) and that's what is showing on the lookup?

Base price billing!

Our former home was billed a base rate by the water dept. They determined the average occupancy and water usage of four adults. That was the starting rate, then they billed more as water use increased. Living alone in the house? They didn't care. You were billed for water you did not use.

What state? County?

The only thing - in ground sprinkler pipes compressed /broken by tree roots?

I like Wiscokid's idea. Another possibility is that the meter is not actually being read, but the meter reader is just putting in a usage number (had that happen to me).

Or maybe they're on a payment plan because they were in arrears (it did go to auction, after all). Or is there a special assessment being charged or repayment of a repair?

Special Rates for Low Income.

https://www.calwater.com/docs/lira/2018-01_LIRA_app_1_-_residential_single-family.pdf

I'll bet you live near a city where there are special rates for low income people. They consume the water, but pay a discounted price. Their discount is off-set by the other customers paying a higher base rate.

https://www.calwater.com/community/lira/

Thank you to everyone who took the time to answer! What I love most about your ideas is they don’t automatically include some kind of main water line break and are things I hadn’t thought of before (payment plans, base rates, sprinkler lines, etc). The previous owner does have an outstanding bill of over $700. It was a $300 dollar bill, then the house was taken by the bank, winterized, then the reaccuring $109 bill started, bringing the total to over $700. I just want as many ideas as possible so the moment I close on this house I can tackle (if it is the issue) any line breaks, so I can quickly figure out where this water is going! The bank who owns the home is helping get to the bottom of it (along with my realtor) since the bank is taking responsibility for the outstanding bill...that’s one positive!

I will update after I talk with the water company!

Hopefully it is just some base rate with added late charges creating this bill and not water leakage...except...a woman at the water company did give us an estimated gallons being used every month (on an empty, winterized, house). Hopefully that was a true estimate and not accurate to this exact situation/address.

Could also be a billing mistake by the water utility and because the house is owned by the bank, no one has noticed or questioned until now.

Yep, that was my though also. A bank representitave, and our realtor are taking photos of the closed meter and proof of the date of winterazation to the utility company this week, to see what they say.

GO GET 'EM KARA!!

How to tell a sprinkler problem: If there are sprinklers, turn them on in the different locations at a time. You'll notice whether or not they pop-up to their full extension. If they don't, it is because there is not enough pressure in the line... (aka leak)

I have a leak. A tree wrapped its roots around the pipes and compressed them. When the parkway sprinklers are running, there is an audible water running sound/ whistling under the ground where the main sprinkler pipe is. X marked the spot to dig - and there was the problem. There shouldn't be a sound

Awesome...thank you for that sprinkler info! We are having sprinkler issues at my other house, wonky sprinkler heads, crusted, popping up but flooding the area, not “sprinkling” correctly. I will be looking into that with this house asap!

If the water is completely shut off, then no water can get to the sprinkler system nor anywhere else, so you can pretty much rule that out for the high water bill, when there is no water to the property. Not saying, the sprinkler system is good, because, it may not be, but, it cant possibly be the cause of the problem, right now, when the water is totally shut off.

Double check that the water utility is looking up the correct address, lol

look on the bill and see how much water you are using. If it isn't zero, then it could be all of the above.

I have friends whose meter was installed incorrectly. Turns out it has been in their favor so they haven't complained too loudly.

If you have proof of when the water was shut off---hopefully at the water meter and not in the house---present that info to the utility. Technically, unless specified before the sale, you are not responsible for any previous charges. At least in my area that is true.

We have a large lot for our neighborhood and that means we have more grass to water - soon there will be a tree and less grass, since we’re paying for watering why not water something we want? :p

When we moved here it was an adjustment to get used to a base rate plus useage for all utilities - California may be many things but the utilities were always fair and charged for what we used, period. Lots of things are different in the Midwest, but the costs of maintaining service to each address in a climate that has frozen ground for a good chunk of the year probably isn’t cheap. Now the potholes, could use some filling so roads don’t feel like riding a crazy donkey down into the Grand Canyon the long way...but something tells me that’s not gonna happen. ;)

If the meter was capped off properly before the meter there should be no water usage registered. In our area gas, electric and water meters are read remotely. Sometime meter do go bad. Sometime homes have a separate meter for the irrigation system so they don't have to pay for sewage fees also. The correct way would of been to call the water company to shut the water off at the street when they winterized the home. The bills could be as mentioned above from a old payment plan or due to a minimum base usage charge.

When I had a leak in the line that runs from the main to the house (before the meter) it showed up by constant water in the street gutter in front of the house (interestingly, not by soggy lawn). However, that leak did not affect my bill because it didn't reach the meter.

Agree that a leak in the sprinkler system could not be the problem, because no water could be reaching the system.

Please be sure to let us know the reason, when you have it figured out!

Interesting read & phone number Might help? tel:1-877-WOWTEAM

http://www.workshoponwheels.com/winterize.html

I am still thinking you are charged a monthly base price fee to offset low income people's water usage costs in your municipality (socialist water billing)

Find out if your city has that. (They probably do). Inquire as if you a looking for low income rates for yourself. Be a phone actress!

Is there an actual meter reader person that came to the neighborhood? Did that person stay home and go to the racetrack instead of working?

Yeah, my common sense is telling me a pipe is leaking water after it goes thru some meter near the road, before it enters the house. I’m definitely going to be responsible for fixing it. The water company said the bank improperly winterize the home. At least the banks improper capping of the water before it enters the house has helped pinpoint where the leak is, it’s not in the house, definitely in the dang yard somewhere.

I deleted that long rambler of a message, but glad you read it! Yes, the plot thickens and the fix gets more and more expensive. I will be looking into where the cities responsiblity ends and begins, but planning on getting a plumber in there quick (Most likely on my dime!)

I've never heard of a meter being near the road, away from the home, except in condo-type developments (is that what this place is?) What makes you think there is one? Surely it would be visible?

What do you mean that it was improperly winterized/capped? Details please! Curious minds (well, one at least) want to know!

Its a single family home, in a neighborhood. Since the water is capped before it enters the meter on the home I am just assuming the water company must have a way to measure the water leaving the main, near the road because they gave us an exact gallons being used (leaked) even though it’s not connect to the meter at the house. Ive been dealing with this issue thus far via my realtor, so I get all info second hand. But from what I understand, proper winterization would have been to shut the water off at the road, not up at the house. But to be honest, I’ve been given all info from my realtor, who didn’t ask the right questions, didn’t have good answers to my specific questions. I’m going to be dealing with this directly, in person, tomorrow. Then I’ll update. But the water is capped before it enters a meter on the house, so it’s the only thing I could think of that would allow them to bill for these mystery gallons That FOR SURE arent making to that meter on the home.

Generally, the water company "owns" the maintenance of the line up to and including your meter. If the leak is before your meter, you shouldn't be responsible for the water that leaked out.

How could they possibly know it leaked at that location? And how could they possibly know how much leaked if it didn't go through a meter.

Sounds suspicious.

raee, Yes, water meters can be near the road. Our house has a meter pit. The meter is down in a covered hole in the front yard about 5 ft from the road. Though it is not the norm it isn't uncommon around here.

My husband worked for a water authority for 35 years. I have to ask him in the AM who is responsible from the main to the home. I have a feeling it is the homeowners. I never heard him say they had to fix a line in anyone's yard unless it was the main that ran though a persons yard. Of course different areas could have different rules.

When my water bill was 3Xs its normal amount, I opened the door to my crawl space and found that I had a 2400 square foot X 6" deep swimming pool under my house. Thanks, leaky hot water heater.

Talked to my husband whom worked for a water authority for 35 years in every aspect from fixing water lines, treatment, to service rep and as puzzled about this as yinz are. He never heard of a meter at the house and one at the main, but every area could be different. He said to follow the line at were the water comes in from the main and see if there is another meter beside the one at the house. Except for a sewer reduction meter. If there is another meter see if it is registering water. If not call the water company and have them send out a service rep to analyze the problem. Every water company is different depending on where you live. Some are public and some are private. If you have a problem with the water company then call your states utility commission and see if the water system is governed by them. Some aren't.

As far as who is responsible for a line it also depends on where you live. In our area the homeowner is responsible for the line from the curb shut off to the house.

Good luck.

Thank you, functionthenlook and weedmeister. The pit is visible, right? We have shutoffs from the main out at the street (either in the sidewalk or just past it) which is accessed with a special tool; the opening is only about 2.5 - 3 inches diameter, no room for a meter there!

I also assume there would not be 2 meters -- what would be the point of that? The water department is making an error about the amount of water used/leaked it seems (putting it mildly).

I had to repair the leaking line from the main to the house, but there are regularly "blowouts" of the old clay pipes in front yards in the neighborhood, and I have noticed that the city water department comes to fix those.

Main water lines can run through peoples yards. That is one of the reasons you have to call "one call" before digging. If it is the main line it is the responsibility of the water company to fix.

Functionthenlook...Thank you for taking the time to ask! I appreciate that so much!

Although I've never built a home, I know that the property owner must pay for water to the building SITE, as water is needed for certain tools.. Either that or have a well dug/tested.

Read the meter; compare it to what's stated in the bill. Then get a company rep out to figure this out.

I will also point out that I pay about $100 a month fixed sewer charge even if I don't use a drop of water.