City leaders remove law on firing of employees for correcting water bills for customers

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- The City of Houston has moved to do away with a law that called for city employees to be fired for helping people correct their water bills.

It's all a part of the city's plan to help lower water bills, which is an ongoing issue Eyewitness News has been covering for more than a year.

The ordinance allowed for disciplinary action or even the firing of an employee if they helped people correct their water bill issues.

City documents confirm the ordinance was punitive and discouraged city employees from applying billing corrections when a customer's water bill was incorrect or in dispute.

For more than a year, ABC13 has been covering countless stories about people who say their money was going down the drain at the hands of an issue out of their control.

Residents say their water usage estimates are much higher than normal even though they have no water leaks.

SEE ALSO: Houstonians continue having issues with incorrect water bills despite 9 changes to city ordinance

"We're waiting for Public Works to get their technology in compliance that would prevent the bills from going exorbitant in the first place," Mayor John Whitmire said.

City council repealed the law that allowed city employees to get fired if they intervened in an attempt to help somebody with their water bill.

"It's a good thing that water company customer service people don't have to worry about getting fired just because they're trying to help somebody too much," Houstonian Mike Stovall said.

Action 13 helped get solutions for Stovall when he received a $50,000 water bill. ABC13 inquired with the city about the issue in October. Stovall confirms that after his bill was lowered to $300.

Public Works said they're working alongside Mayor Whitmire on ways to improve the water billing system.

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