Why Your Water Bill May be Higher in Franklin

water faucet

If you’re a Franklin resident and noticed your most recent water bill was higher than you expected, you aren’t alone. Over the last few days, many Franklin residents have taken to social media to voice concerns over higher than usual water bills.

Some residents have made calls to the water department and the City Water Billing team has been reviewing these concerns, the City of Franklin told us.

“The primary source of higher-than-usual water bills appears to be the fact that the billing cycle sent out on July 15, 2019 was longer than usual for many of our customers (many had a 40-day or longer period compared to the typical 30-day cycle),” the City added.

Currently, no widespread software or meter problem has been discovered. The City encourages customers who believe their bill is higher than a longer billing period would generate to contact the Water billing/customer service office directly. The City team members will review your account.

“There are various causes for a higher bill but these would best be determined by reviewing your individual account,” the City said.

Water Department:
Call 615-794-4572 Monday through Friday 8am – 5pm

If more information becomes available, we will publish it here.

Worried You May Have a Leak?

A higher than normal water bill could also mean you have a leak somewhere, but how do you know?

For starters, it is important to check your faucets, pipes under the sink and hot water heater to make sure that they are working properly, writes Hiller Plumbing, Heating, Cooling & Electrical. You’re looking for any signs of rust, corrosion, or leaks.

A few drops of food coloring can detect a toilet leak. “You can check for a toilet leak by adding a few drops of food coloring to your toilet tank (just enough to change the tint of the water. After 30 minutes, inspect the bowl of the toilet to see if the coloring seeped into it. If so, you’ve got a leak on your hands,” writes Hiller. Flush immediately to avoid staining and call your local plumber.

If you water your lawn, it’s also important to check for a sprinkler leak. “Lawnmowers and more traffic on lawns during the summer can easily contribute to broken sprinkler issues. Be aware of your sprinklers and double-check they are in good shape before using them to avoid more significant damage.”

4 COMMENTS

  1. I live in a two bedroom house with one bath an the Franklin water Department has been telling me I use12,00to 15,00 gallons of water a month an I don’t water my yard or wash my truck an have no leaks nowhere they tell me they estimate our bill every month based on where our area an when have replace a new toilet an had a plumber come in an I have no leaks an our bill has not changed , So I’m thinking about calling Channel 5 news to have the water Department investigated

  2. Bills are not higher due to an extra week in the billing period….100s Of us have seen double, triple, four times, and even five times increased water usage. Many were on vacation during the billing period in question.

    This is not an adequate response from the Franklin Water Dept…the communities on the West Side of Franklin have been impacted…blasting impact? Who knows? All we know is that an extra week billing does not account for the bills we have just received. More investigation needs done!

  3. This is a BS response. This needs to be investigated. There’s no way this many of us have ridiculously high water bills because of an extra 7-10 days in the billing cycle.

  4. One of the wettest springs on record. I’ve watered my lawn less this year than any other. An extra 10 days billing doesn’t explain my bill.

Comments are closed.