Cape Canaveral homeowner disputes $2,500 water bill

BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. — All around Cynthia Barrington's home there are now padlocks on every water spigot.

It was her last resort after getting a water bill for more than $2,500 for the Cape Canaveral home her family inherited earlier this summer.

"I really thought it was an unreal bill, because who could use 186,000 gallons of water?" Barrington asked.

The bill said 186,000 gallons were used in July even though nobody was supposed to be living in the home at the time. That's the equivalent of 19 back yard swimming pools, and Barrington doesn’t even have one pool.

"Where are you going to put 19 swimming pools of water?" Barrington asked.

Barrington had the waterlines and meter checked by the City of Cocoa, which provides water in Cape Canaveral, but everything appeared to be working properly.

"It showed the meter was working close to 100 percent accuracy," Barrington said.

Barrington said she has since filed a report with the Brevard County Sheriff's Office.

The City of Cocoa Water Department has agreed to give Barrington a $600 credit from a fund set up for homeowners who get abnormally high bills.

WFTV