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Homeowner says neighbor’s water is flowing through her meter; council asks Public Works to investigate
Summary
A Houston homeowner told council she has paid for her neighbor’s water for two years after a suspected builder error left both homes sharing a supply line. Councilmembers urged Public Works to pursue a full field inspection and for the homeowner to seek legal counsel; staff said inspections and billing staff were already engaged.
A Houston homeowner told the City Council on June 24 she has been billed for both her own water and her neighbor’s usage for more than two years and asked the city to investigate what she described as a construction defect.
Jenny Chen described what she said was a shared connection between her new single‑family home and an adjacent unit that was supposed to have its own meter. City water inspectors have visited Chen’s house and billing staff are involved, she said, but the problem persists: her meter shows usage for both units, and she reported periodic loss of stable service.
Councilmembers and staff advised next steps. Councilmember Julian Ramirez offered to meet with Chen and agreed to help coordinate with Public Works and the city solicitor. Councilmember Dwight Davis (and others) urged the homeowner to seek a legal review to protect her interests. Public Works staff told the chamber they had been in contact with Chen and were working through diagnostics and billing adjustments, and that a dye test, pressure testing and a site inspection would be part of a full compliance review.
Chen said she had documents showing the builder passed city inspection and that the builder had not responded to her requests. Councilmembers said the city would continue to assist with the diagnostic work and with documentation to help resolve whether the construction permitted properly separated the meters.
