FAIRVIEW, Tenn. (WTVF) — Fairview residents are grappling with water bills that have doubled, tripled, or even quadrupled in recent months, leaving many fearful of opening their monthly statements and worried about being priced out of their communities.
I've received about a dozen emails from residents experiencing dramatic increases in their water bills. Many report their bills are now 4 to 5 times what they were just months ago.
Debbie Elder is among the homeowners experiencing the shocking increases. In the 5 years she's lived in Fairview, her water bill has never reached these levels.
"Last month was $688 that came out and this month it was $596," Elder said.
Elder says her water bill now exceeds all her other utilities combined. The high bill is made worse by the lack of communication from the Water Authority of Dickson County.
She says the only explanation from the water authority is that the bill is correct or there's a leak. Elder checked her lines and says her neighbors have also checked – all are secure.
"It makes me think it's a much larger problem than just everyone having a water leak," Elder said.
The district's sewer rates did increase, but Elder and others say they want a clear answer about their water bills specifically.
I reached out to the Water Authority of Dickson County for answers. They said residents wouldn't get an immediate response and told us to look for a written answer next week.
The Water Authority of Dickson County has since provided an explanation for the billing increases. According to the authority, the higher bills resulted from a timing issue during their conversion to a new billing system.
The billing cycle ending July 17, 2025, covered approximately 3 weeks instead of the standard 4-week cycle. The following billing cycle, ending August 24, 2025, then covered roughly 5 weeks, resulting in substantially higher bills for most customers.
The authority also noted that unusually dry weather during this period led some customers to increase their water consumption for watering landscapes and gardens. Additionally, sewer capacity fees increased during the same billing cycle.
The authority stated that no increase in water consumption unit charges was implemented during this period, and billing cycles have returned to the standard monthly schedule.
If you have an example of a water bill that has suddenly increased in Dickson County or anywhere else, please reach out to share your experience with me at Amanda.Roberts@NewsChannel5.com
This story was reported on-air by Amanda Roberts and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
