Millennial Man Opens Water Bill, Discovers He Owes $47,590

Newsweek

04-05-2025

Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.
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When Ashley Hudspeth, 35, from the Oklahoma City metro area, opened his water bill this month, he assumed there had been a mistake. The staggering total? $47,580.58.
"When I got the bill, I thought I had misread something at first," Hudspeth told Newsweek. "When I finally realized 'woah, this is an actual bill,' I just kinda laughed because it was outrageous."
Hudspeth, who typically sees water bills around $70, was hit with a charge more than 6,000 percent higher than usual. The bill claimed he had used over 10 million gallons of water in just 62 days—enough to fill about 15 Olympic-sized swimming pools.
"There's no way I've used that much water in just a matter of months," he said. "I mean, what am I watering over here, a rainforest?"
Trying to reach the water company, which he didn't name, proved to be another headache. "They have a very annoying automated system, and after trying all evening to get ahold of somebody, there was still no reply," Hudspeth said.
Frustrated and seeking advice, he posted a photo of the bill to Reddit's r/Wellthatsucks subreddit. The post quickly went viral, drawing over 28,000 upvotes and a flood of comments from people who were quick to see the lighter side.
A picture of the huge water bill asking for over $47,000.
A picture of the huge water bill asking for over $47,000.
LKT-NTR-A2DE-USA/Reddit
"Are you SeaWorld?" asked one commenter. While another Redditor joked: "Bro single-handedly fought off the California wildfires."
Beyond the jokes, others offered support and practical tips. "Going through the comments, there's plenty of hilarious jokes and people poking fun at the situation," Hudspeth said. "People have been really helpful... which definitely makes me more confident defending myself against this water company."
This isn't the first time an unexpectedly large utility bill has gained attention online. Earlier this year, an American expat living in Portugal shared how she was left stunned when she opened her first electric bill in Europe to find she owed more than $8,000.
"I move to Portugal, excited and clueless, and continue living like I did in the U.S.—clothes dryer running 24/7, long hot baths, heaters all winter, no second thoughts," she said. But her usual habits combined with an inefficient apartment left her stung with a huge bill, something she has learned from since.
The good news for Hudspeth is that eventually, he managed to rectify his large water bill issue. After what he described as a "lengthy conversation," the water company agreed to adjust the bill. "They told me it was a 'meter swap error' (whatever that means)," he said. His new total? A much more reasonable $119.61.
Though relieved, Hudspeth pointed out how dangerous this could have been for someone who had autopay set up. "If they want to say it's my responsibility, you won't catch me paying it," he said. "Thank God I caught it."