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Detroit family says they were wrongly billed for using over 110K gallons of water -- what city said
By Pamela Osborne, Jeff Jewell at WDIV ClickOnDetroit (NBC) - Local News
· June 28, 2026
· 2 min read
A Detroit mother and son said they were wrongly billed for using more than 110,00 gallon of water in just two months. Roderick Wright and his mother share a 1,100-square-foot home. He says the bills they received for April and May simply don’t add up.“Altogether it’s 110,000 gallons of water, we’...
Key takeaway Roderick Wright and his mother share a 1,100-square-foot home.
Why this matters in The Detroit
The Detroit Water and Sewerage Department's handling of the Wright family's case raises questions about the city's billing practices and customer service. Given the significant discrepancy between the family's typical water usage and the amounts billed, it's surprising that the department initially attributed the issue to a leak without providing conclusive evidence. The fact that a plumber's inspection found no leaks suggests that the department's assumptions may have been incorrect. Director Gary Brown's decision to apply the one-time leak policy and work with the family to adjust their bill is a positive step, but it may not be enough to alleviate the financial burden already imposed on the Wrights. As the department moves forward, it should prioritize transparency and communication with customers to prevent similar disputes and ensure that billing issues are resolved fairly and efficiently.
About this story
Original reporting by WDIV ClickOnDetroit (NBC) - Local News . The Detroit surfaces reporting from trusted publishers and adds local editorial context so readers can quickly understand what a story means for their community. We attribute every source, link to the original report, and follow a documented editorial standards policy. To understand how stories are selected and reviewed, read our about page .
For the complete original report, visit WDIV ClickOnDetroit (NBC) - Local News . Have a tip or correction? Contact our newsroom .
Category: local ·
Published: June 28, 2026 ·
Source: WDIV ClickOnDetroit (NBC) - Local News ·
Reading time: 2 min
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Frequently asked about this story
What is this story about? A Detroit mother and son said they were wrongly billed for using more than 110,00 gallon of water in just two months. Roderick Wright and his mother share a 1,100-square-foot home. He says the bills they received for April and May simply don’t add up.“Altogether it’s 110,000 gallons of water, we’...
When was this published? This article was first published on June 28, 2026 by WDIV ClickOnDetroit (NBC) - Local News and curated for The Detroit readers.
Who reported this story? This story was reported by Pamela Osborne, Jeff Jewell at WDIV ClickOnDetroit (NBC) - Local News. To learn more about how The Detroit selects and reviews stories, see our editorial standards .
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