Chicago Woman Faces $233,000 Water Bill for Vacant Home

URGENT UPDATE: A shocking water bill of $233,439.90 has been issued to an 82-year-old woman in Chicago, despite her home sitting vacant without plumbing for years. Diane Carli, from the Back of the Yards neighborhood, is facing an imminent threat from the city to garnish her pension over a bill she insists is a glaring error.

In December 2024, the city contacted Carli, stating that a new water meter needed to be installed in her abandoned property. “Why would you need to come in when there’s no water there, and I’m not asking for water?” Carli questioned. She allowed the installation, but within six months, her water bill skyrocketed, claiming she used over 500,000 gallons of water.

“I said, ‘A bill for what?’ And they said for water,” Carli recounted, incredulous. The situation escalated as her account was placed in collections, and the city threatened to garnish her pension. “This is unbelievable. This is totally wrong,” she said, expressing the distress this bill has caused her.

Carli inherited the property from her late husband in 2017, and it has been vacant ever since. “It’s gutted. … There’s nothing in there,” she described, emphasizing the absurdity of being charged for non-existent water usage.

Her daughter, Lisa, attempted to resolve the issue by visiting City Hall but received little assistance. “As soon as you touched our property and made entry into our property, now we have a water bill of $233,000,” she stated, highlighting the family’s frustration.

They sought help from Ald. Raymond Lopez (15th), who has been vocal about the issue. “The most we got was yesterday, they said, ‘Well, we’ll take off $25,000 in penalties for late charges,’” he reported. Lopez expressed disbelief at the bill, stating, “I’ve never in my lifetime seen a bill like that.”

Despite the city replacing Carli’s water meter recently—now reading zero water usage—the fight continues. “They’re going to put me in the grave with this, because what do I do?” Carli lamented, revealing the emotional toll this situation has taken on her.

This issue of inflated water bills is not isolated. CBS News Chicago has documented numerous similar cases, leading to the Chicago City Council approving a water bill relief program last year. “One would think that, after six years of seeing your stories on Getting Hosed, people within the Water Department, people within the Law Department, and people within Finance would understand mistakes happen,” Lopez added, underscoring the systemic problems with the city’s billing practices.

As Diane Carli and her family continue to fight this outrageous bill, the urgency of their situation resonates with many Chicago residents. The city’s actions raise significant questions about accountability and the treatment of vulnerable citizens.

Stay tuned for updates as this story develops.