A woman said she acted fast after a huge water leak sprung up in her front yard, but she was shocked when she still received a water bill from the city for more than $2,000. 

Irsonia Cole showed Action 9 where she had a big water leak in her front yard. After she discovered it, she said a plumber fixed it within five days.

“I took care of the problem in a timely manner,” Cole said.

Still, she was shocked to receive a water bill for $2,154.

“I fell out the chair,” Cole said. “I was crying.”

She complained to CMUD which, abiding by its policy, reduced the bill to $600. But the CMUD billing office told Cole she'd be getting another bill connected to the leak they wouldn't be able to adjust. She asked how much.

“’Your part now is $1,600.’ I said, ‘$1,600? No way,’” Cole said.

CMUD then set her up on a five-year, $45 a month repayment plan. But Cole said she told them she couldn't afford it living on a fixed income.

“I just lost my husband six months ago, so I'm just on my own right now,” she said.

So Action 9 got in touch with CMUD to ask them to look at her case again. That's when they told Cole they would drop her $1,600 bill to $700.

“They took off $900,” Cole said. “I have something to smile about the rest of my life.”

Generally, CMUD's policy is to give anyone with a water leak a one-time adjustment on their bill, but the longer the leak goes, the less the adjustment and the more you'll pay.