$3000 Water Bill in Akron, Section 8 Tenant

[Roohil Hamid]

I recently heard from my tenant about consistently high water bills—over $1,000 each month. After checking the online portal, I see the current balance is over $3,100, and the water was shut off two days ago. The tenant has been facing these excessive charges for about three months but only just reached out to me.

In Akron, I understand that the property owner is typically responsible for the bill, though our lease specifies that the tenant is responsible. Since the bills are sent to the service address, I wasn’t aware of the situation until now.

I’d like to arrange for a plumber to diagnose the leak, but with the water shut off until the balance is paid, I’m unsure how to proceed. What do you recommend as the best course of action?

Thanks for your guidance.