ORANGE CITY, Fla. – A Volusia County homeowner got a water bill that is half the price of her mortgage and was told by the city it is accurate.
Maria Beardsley said her first bill in her brand new Orange City home gave her sticker shock.
"I screamed because I said to my daughter, 'OMG, what are we being charged for?'" she told Local 6.
The bill is $658.76. Beardsley called the city and was told the bill is accurate.
She had signed up for automatic payments so the money was drafted from her bank account.
Local 6 called Orange City Utilities and discovered the problem: It was her irrigation.
The timer was set at the manufacturer's setting and was watering her lawn overnight when she didn't even know it.
On one day alone, according to the city, Beardsley used 3,500 gallons of water.
Beardsley is now having her irrigation system reprogrammed.