Four in Your Corner partnered with Fort Myers resident, Jonathan Knutowidz, to tell his story after he noticed changes in his water bill. Starting in April, he says the bills started going up without a change in his routine.
Knutowidz says he contacted the City of Fort Myers Utilities Center but didn't settle with one phone call. However, he took time off to go to the building center. Knutowidz says, "I work. I work really hard for what I have, and for me to give that away, it just seems not fair."
He says the utility company advised him to watch the meter. Knutowidz ran other tests to see if he had a leak. He has this advice for people who might be experiencing the same thing. "Check under the house at night with a flashlight to see if there are any drips coming down. Or, go over to the meter itself and see how to read a meter. See if there's a leak." He says the utility company suggested that toilets are often the culprit so, he also suggests trying a toilet dye and test the toilet flapper. To deter others from taking his water, he also bought at $10 magnet key for his outdoor spigot.
Through all of that, City of Fort Myers Utilities could only rule that it was unexplained water usage. A recent bill showed usage leveling off. Knutowidz believes that’s partly because he didn’t stop asking questions.
