Woman selling her home after she is unable to escape dramatically high water bills with no apparent cause
By Ben Verbanic
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TERRE HAUTE, Indiana (WTHI) — An 81-year-old Army veteran and full-time educator says she’s selling her home after accumulating more than $12,000 in water and sewage bills since January.
Janet Engler told News 10 she typically pays between $160 and $200 per month for water service. But when her January bill totaled more than $1,400, she knew something was wrong.
“It was due on January 17, and it was for 265,000 gallons of water,” Engler said. “They said I was using over 8,000 gallons of water a day.”
Her sewage bills skyrocketed, too—climbing to more than $5,000 in one month and over $8,000 by March. The three-month total added up to nearly $12,000 in water-related charges.
Engler said she reached out to Indiana American Water, her utility provider, for answers. The company sent a technician to change the meter and check for leaks, but later told her no issues were found—and that the high usage must be correct.
For perspective, 265,000 gallons is roughly the volume of 10 large backyard swimming pools.
Still skeptical, Engler hired a plumber who works with veterans. The plumber found no visible issues and suggested the problem might be “beyond the meter.” He recommended hiring an excavator to investigate further underground.
But American Water disagreed.
“They said your plumber and you are incorrect. The meter is right, and you just have to pay the bill,” Engler recalled.
Desperate, she reached out to the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission, the City of Terre Haute, and even local law firms—but says none were able to help.
A spokesperson for Indiana American Water told News 10 that the company found no leaks or equipment errors, and that it had followed state guidelines in handling the situation. The company said it has offered Engler payment assistance options.
Terre Haute Mayor Brandon Sakbun told News 10 the city is willing to work with Engler but added that when private utility companies are involved, the city has limited control. Sewage charges, he said, are based on water usage data provided by the utility company.
Engler says she’s exhausted her options—and is now moving on.
She has listed her Terre Haute home for sale and is currently living with her family in an Airbnb while house hunting.
“No one needs to go through all this and find out at the end, ‘Oh, you must have used the water. There’s nothing we can do about it,’” Engler said.
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