Monthly bills are something everyone faces.
But when you live in one place long enough, you come to expect about how much you are paying a month.
So, when Heather Enos opened her December bill to a $115.26 bill, she was shocked.
“I was like comparing it to last year and I thought, ‘Wait a second, do I have a leak?'” said Enos, a resident in the Foothills.
And her next two billing cycles all followed the same trend.
In December of 2022 Enos paid $29.43, compared to $115.26 this year. In January of 2023 she paid $34.26, compared to $208.00 this year. And in February of 2023 she paid $27.03, compared to $130.55 this year.
When she reached out to Southwest Gas they sent a technician to check for a leak.
“They found a small little leak in one of my fittings on my furnace in my garage, but not anything substantial and I couldn’t smell gas. So I got that resolved,” Enos explained.
“So then the next month, I get it and now my average daily use went from .4 to 2.97. Now we’re talking over six times the usage, and this is after they’ve come out and check for a leak.”
Over on the Southeast side of Tucson, Patricia Daily saw her bills rise to around $70 a month from her usual $20 bill.
When KGUN 9 reached out to Southwest Gas for comment, the group said:
A customers usage can depend on several factors. Wintertime and cooler temperatures will be a primary contributor to increased usage this time of year – things like your thermostat setting, increased water heater usage, or use of natural gas appliances such as fireplaces. The Company provides energy-saving tips year-round to support weatherization and conservation efforts. We encourage all residential customers to take advantage of the energy savings portal through our website, where they can find personalized tips on how to lower their energy use and compare their energy use to similar or comparable homes. Please visit <a href=”https://urldefense.com/v3/__http://www.swgas.com/tips__;!!FJkDyvWmnr4!daz8oTgNpGB_Qi9NAzZ3WQx4r5OjUgyQ8R-H9Eyrf66MN_ovwG2YcLrHOUZFd1UFR16DEIpMAbyZGpa0QiiI_cfvOdA$”>our website</a> for more energy-efficiency tips and information.
Arizona residents are also able to reach out to the Arizona Corporation Commission (AZCC) for utility bill disputes.
In a statement to KGUN 9, the AZCC said, “Ratepayers may reach out to any of the Commissioners to voice their opinions on utility bills. They may also file a public comment on any pending rate cases submitted by Southwest Gas.”
A link to their website can be found here.