Dozens of frustrated residents filled Texarkana City Council chambers Monday evening, many reporting water bills that have doubled, tripled, or in some cases reached over $1,000 in recent months. Citizen after citizen described unexplained spikes in their bills and called for an investigation into the city’s water billing practices.
A common thread emerged throughout the public comment period: many residents believe recently installed smart water meters are at the heart of the billing problems.
Taylor Bradshaw was among the first to address the council, explaining she has spent thousands of dollars hiring multiple plumbers to confirm she has no leaks, yet continues to receive bills of $800 to $900 per month.
“I’ve lived in this location for five years. Some of my children have moved out of my house. There’s nothing in my situation of life that supports that,” Bradshaw told the council. She said plumbers have confirmed that the 50,000 gallons per month the utility claims she is using would create visible evidence. “You would be able to physically see that. There’s no soft spots. I live on less than an acre of land. I’ve walked everything.”
Bradshaw requested the city order a comprehensive review of the water system and billing practices, including meter testing programs, billing audits, temporary billing relief for affected customers, and a clear dispute process for residents.
David Grant told the council his problems began the moment a new smart meter was installed at his property in July.
“All of a sudden, it shows that I used 400 gallons of water at midnight,” Grant said. “And then that leak magically stopped. And then again another night that leak came back on.”
Grant noted that an average toilet flush uses about a gallon and a half, meaning 400 gallons in one hour would be equivalent to roughly 250 flushes. “I don’t think I can flush and fill my toilet that quickly in an hour. In other words, it is a physical impossibility,” he said. “If you get a leak, a leak is continuous. It is not a stop and stop thing.”
Grant said he has researched the issue and found that Texarkana is not the only community experiencing billing problems after smart meter installations.
Tanya Hardy, who operates a smoothie shop on the Arkansas side, said she has been able to predict her water bill within $5 for eight years. That changed in November when the utility claimed she used 9,800 gallons in 28 days, compared to her typical 2,400 to 2,700 gallons.
Hardy said she began photographing her meter daily and found the dial was not moving during closed hours. Then, without explanation, December’s bill returned to normal levels despite increased business.
“You’re going to run businesses out of this town,” Hardy warned the council. “If your idea is to grow the town, between the four taxes I pay and the water bill inconsistent and no answers, you’re driving businesses out.”
Beyond disputed usage readings, residents also raised concerns about infrastructure fees tied to a planned $490 million regional water treatment plant. City Manager Dr. David Orr explained that the Riverbend Water Resources project includes not just the treatment facility but also water intake infrastructure at Wright Patman Lake and transmission lines
The project has been in planning for over a decade and involves not just Texarkana but other area cities such as Hooks, New Boston, and De Kalb.
Resident Shay Quinn told the council that her water usage charge in a recent month was $94, but the infrastructure fee added another $82, representing 87% of her water cost.
“I get that we’re paying to build a treatment plant. I want to do my part,” Quinn said. “But when I look at that, and you do mathematics on that, that’s almost 90%.”
Quinn also expressed concern about elderly neighbors on fixed incomes receiving $500 water bills.
Jack Chambers cited survey data suggesting the national average water bill for a household of four is approximately $75, with Texas averaging less than $50. He said his bill for a household of three was 250% of that national average.
“It suggests, I think, to everybody here, that there’s some corruption or graft going on, because if there were rational answers, I’m certain they would be provided given the absolutely insane numbers I’m hearing from these people,” Chambers said.
Chambers also noted that infrastructure problems persist on his property despite the planned investment in a new treatment plant. He said he has replaced all plumbing from his house to the main line, yet still experiences backups when it rains due to aging city infrastructure.
Not all comments were critical. Kathy Coker, who reported receiving a $1,033 bill, commended Texarkana Water Utilities General Manager Smith for meeting with her for about an hour to discuss her concerns.
“I do want to say that Mr. Smith was wonderful. He was very attentive. He listened,” Coker said. “I don’t want everyone to think that they don’t listen.”
However, Coker expressed concern about scheduled rate increases, noting the per-1,000-gallon rate is set to rise from $3.60 to $4.80 next year, and to $6.25 in subsequent years.
Sean Dangerfield, who said his commercial property saw usage jump from 17,000 to 91,000 gallons before returning to normal levels, said the problem extends beyond those who attended the meeting.
“I think the problem is a little bit bigger than even what this room is, because I became aware of it myself because my bill jumped up, but I noticed on social media that a lot of people was complaining. I mean, hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of people,” Dangerfield said.
He suggested the city adopt a policy similar to Houston, where customers who fix verified leaks can have excess charges adjusted based on their previous 12-month average.
Bradshaw requested the council place the water billing issue on the agenda for a future meeting so that findings can be reported publicly rather than handled on a case-by-case basis.
Dr. Orr noted that the utility is installing new meters that allow customers to monitor near real-time water usage through an online portal.