News Summary
Amid rising complaints from residents over irregularly high water bills, St. Petersburg city officials are launching a management evaluation of their billing department. City Council member Lisset Hanewicz emphasized the urgent need for improvements, particularly following service disruptions caused by recent hurricanes. The council is responding to issues faced by residents, including substantial bill discrepancies. An evaluation costing $125,000 is proposed to enhance billing processes as municipal utility rates are set to rise. The city aims to improve transparency and efficiency amid ongoing public dissatisfaction.
St. Petersburg officials are taking steps to address growing concerns regarding irregularly high water bills after a significant spike in complaints from residents. A City Council committee has launched a formal management evaluation of the city’s billing and collections department, a move prompted by ongoing dissatisfaction with the utility billing process.
Council Member Lisset Hanewicz highlighted the pressing need to tackle the numerous complaints from residents, particularly following the disruptions caused by Hurricanes Helene and Milton. The issues with water billing were first noted before these storms and have persisted ever since. Between July 2024 and April 2025, the city responded to these complaints by adjusting over 12,000 water bills.
In the spring of 2025, the council introduced procedural changes aimed at helping residents resolve their irregular billing issues. Despite these efforts, residents continue to face difficulties, with many finding the process inadequate. One resident, Michelle McConnell, recounted receiving a staggering $2,000 bill in January, which remains unresolved, underscoring widespread discontent with the city’s handling of billing disputes.
To enhance effectiveness and transparency, council members emphasized the importance of completing the management evaluation, which will scrutinize current procedures and policies in the billing office. The specific scope of this evaluation is yet to be finalized, but it reflects the growing desire to improve public interaction and operational efficiency.
The evaluation is expected to cost $125,000, funds that are already allocated in the budget. Before proceeding, the full council must vote to approve the evaluation process. This initiative comes at a time when residents are anticipating an increase in municipal utility rates by 8-9%, in addition to changes in sewer capacity fees and stormwater rates.
Concerns about the stormwater fund are also significant, with projected average fee increases of 17.5% for fiscal year 2026. City officials have indicated that while there is funding for certain specific projects, more extensive stormwater improvement needs are described as “aspirational.” The council’s earlier discussions revealed worries about residents’ ability to manage these rate hikes in light of existing infrastructure funding shortages.
Many locals have voiced frustrations over the city’s preference to allocate resources for new developments rather than prioritizing essential infrastructure upgrades that serve the entire community. Despite the involvement of external auditors—who identified some discrepancies—ongoing issues with the water billing system have not yet been resolved, and a clear source of the billing irregularities has not been determined.
In response to these challenges, the State Department of Government Efficiency has requested utility records from the city as part of its auditing process. As the situation continues to evolve, residents and officials alike are keenly watching the management evaluation’s progress and the upcoming changes to the billing software, which is set to be updated for the first time in 25-30 years, with a targeted launch in summer 2026.
Deeper Dive: News & Info About This Topic
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St. Petersburg Residents Face Potential Utility Rate Hike
St. Petersburg Proposes Utility Rate Increase Amid Billing Concerns
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St. Petersburg Pauses Water Shutoffs and Late Fees Amid Billing Crisis
Additional Resources
- Fox 13 News: St. Pete leaders want management review of billing department amid high water bill issues
- Wikipedia: Water supply and sanitation in Florida
- WFLA: St. Pete City Council agrees to review troubled water billing department after year of outrage
- Google Search: St Petersburg water billing issues
- St. Pete Catalyst: St. Pete utility rates to increase amid infrastructure upgrades
- Google Scholar: St Petersburg utility billing lawsuit
- Fox 13 News: St. Pete residents still getting giant water bills, no relief
- Encyclopedia Britannica: Water supply
- WFLA: Residents frustrated by water bills as St. Pete utility bills under city, state review
- Google News: St Petersburg utility billing review
Author: STAFF HERE PETERSBURG WRITER
ST PETERSBURG STAFF WRITER The ST PETERSBURG STAFF WRITER represents the experienced team at HEREStPetersburg.com, your go-to source for actionable local news and information in St Petersburg, Pinellas County, and beyond. Specializing in "news you can use," we cover essential topics like product reviews for personal and business needs, local business directories, politics, real estate trends, neighborhood insights, and state news affecting the area—with deep expertise drawn from years of dedicated reporting and strong community input, including local press releases and business updates. We deliver top reporting on high-value events such as Grand Prix of St. Petersburg, Localtopia, and SHINE Mural Festival. Our coverage extends to key organizations like the St. Petersburg Area Chamber of Commerce and St. Pete Downtown Partnership, plus leading businesses in finance, manufacturing, and healthcare that power the local economy such as Raymond James Financial, Jabil, and Bayfront Health St. Petersburg. As part of the broader HERE network, including HEREJacksonville.com, HEREOrlando.com, HERETallahassee.com, and HERETampa.com, we provide comprehensive, credible insights into Florida's dynamic landscape.
