BRADENTON, Fla. — In the last few days, some homeowners who get their water through Manatee County have complained about an excessively high bill in their recent statements.
Some stated that their bills were double or triple the normal charges. Some also reported a delay in the arrival of their statements.
Acknowledging the error, county officials warned the community about the utility billing issue. While a clear explanation has not yet been provided as to what caused the unusually high bills, officials have asked customers to review their bills and contact the utilities department to rectify any discrepancies.
They have also said water connections will not be cut off and there will not be any late fee charges to affected customers.
Below is the notice published on Manatee County's social media platforms:
"Important Notice to Manatee County Utilities customers: Some customers may have received recent bills that were delayed or appear unusually high. We sincerely apologize for this inconvenience and are actively working to resolve the issue. No late fees will be charged, and water shut-offs will not be initiated due to billing issues. If you notice a billing error:
Please verify usage dates and ensure monthly payments are accounted for.
- If your bill covers one month, please review the high-consumption troubleshooting checklist found here: mymanatee.org/leaktesting
- If concerns persist, please contact the Billing team at ucsbilling@mymanatee.org (due to high inquiry volumes, please allow 7 working days for a response).
- If there were “missed bills” for multiple months, staff will help develop a payment schedule that fits your circumstances.
Thank you for your patience and understanding as we work to correct these issues and prevent them in the future."
