‘Drought Shamed' Californian Blames Utility For 13,000-Gallon Leak

Various water providers in California have considered releasing the names of heavy users as a way to shame customers into conserving more water. 

One problem with this method: Sometimes the cause is infrastructure, not water-hogging customers. Just ask Chris Lang, a 28-year-old alarm security worker, who showed up at the very top of a list of excess-water users in the East Bay Municipal Utility District, which includes 327,000 households. 

“Lang says he's no guzzler but rather a victim of not being warned about his skyrocketing water use before he received a $10,000 bill for consuming more than 13,000 gallons a day,” the San Jose Mercury News reported. 

Lang is pushing back against the charge. In his own words: "It would be nice if the water district let me know I had a leak before sending me a $10,000 bill that there is no freaking way I can afford to pay. I pay for water service. Where is the water company's responsibility to let me know when there is a problem?" 

Lang knew he had a leak on his property. He tried to fix it, but he did not follow through to ensure it was totally fixed. 

“Lang said he discovered water pooling in his front yard of rocks about a month ago and fixed a leak, but it apparently wasn't good enough. His water meter was spinning when EBMUD meter readers rechecked his reading,” the report said. 

District spokeswoman Andrea Pook weighed in, per the Contra Costa Times. "It's unfortunate," Pook said. "But this is a lesson about the importance of checking for leaks. One in four households in East Bay MUD have leaks." 

“Water officials encourage customers to monitor for leaks by turning off all faucets and sprinklers and checking to see if their water dial moves. And as they make their rounds, EBMUD meter readers inform customers of unusual changes in water use, Pook said,” according to the report. 

“EBMUD officials said they wouldn't comment in detail on Lang's case because of customer privacy issues. Lang is eligible to apply for relief on his water bill when he can demonstrate that he has repaired the leak,” the report said, citing Pook. 

California Governor Jerry Brown has issued an order that will likely extend deep cuts in water use beyond the original February end date and well into next fall. 

In a new executive order, “the governor said that if the drought continues through January, mandatory water cuts will remain in effect until October. Brown's original order, issued in April, was effective only until February,” the Los Angeles Times reported.