"The kids had all moved out, and it was time to downsize. They were ready for a smaller home and the utility prices that come with it," Kiel said.
"It was good. We had the low costs, just me and my wife, I mean, it was payable," Kiel said.
Kiel said his water bill was typically under $100 until one billing cycle late last year.
"When I got a high water bill in December, I called, and they told me, 'Well, we replaced your meter,'" Kiel said.
Houston Public Works confirmed to ABC13 the remote reading device was replaced in November of 2024 and not the meter itself.
The bills Kiel provided to ABC13 show a dramatic fluctuation in prices. Kiel claims he got no bill one month, and other months we're able to see the charges could be well over $1,000. Feeling the charges were wrong, Kiel has been trying to get the bills fixed or adjusted to no avail. Today the total on his account is over $10,000.
"I was like, this is a mistake. I can't pay this. Let me call them, and see what's going on," Kiel said.
Kiel said he did file for an adjustment earlier this year but the city sent him this letter denying the adjustment, saying he had a leak on his side of the meter. A former plumber, he put that to the test.
"I did a pressure test on my house. That means you put a water meter on it, check all the pipes, close all the valves, and see if it's going to hold air. Well, it held air," Kiel said.
Ruling out a leak and being denied a bill adjustment from the city of Kiel reached out to ABC13. Eyewitness News reached out to Houston Public Works, who told us they are looking into Kiel's account and that new meters are more accurate at reading water usage and could lead to a bump in charges.
"You can't consume that much water in a single-family home," Kiel said.
Kiel said he did talk with the city about a payment plan but was told he would have to start with a $1,500 down payment. He's continuing to hold off on paying in hopes the problem is resolved.
HPW told ABC13 they never recommend customers entirely stop paying their water bills, even if they are unusually high. They encourage all customers to reach out to them with concerns and questions.
For more news updates, follow Lileana Pearson on Facebook, X and Instagram.