Flint, MI Water Use Rules: Leak Reporting Duty (2026)
Key Facts
- Relief
- 50% of excess bill credited
- Condition
- immediate repair after discovery
- Hearing officer
- City Administrator or designee
- Inspection by
- Water Supply or Building Safety Dept.
Summary
Flint water customers hit with an unusually large bill from a hidden leak can request a hearing, and if they repaired the leak immediately, the City credits half of the excess back to them.
The referee may approve an adjustment in the consumer's water bill providing it is shown to his or her satisfaction from investigation...that a leak occurred due to the nonnegligence of the consumer...and where the consumer took immediate steps to repair the plumbing defect causing this leak. The basis of this adjustment shall be 50% of the excess to be absorbed by the customer, 50% by the City.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2016 Code: Local legislation current through Ordinance 3821, passed 3-1-2012).
Full Breakdown
City Code § 46-17 lets any Flint water consumer request a hearing over an unusually large bill. The City may first inspect the property's plumbing through the Department of Building and Safety Inspections or Department of Water Supply, and any defects found must be corrected before an adjustment is considered. The City Administrator (or a designee) acts as referee, weighing the consumer's evidence against the inspection findings. An adjustment is granted only if the leak was accidental, not the consumer's fault, and the consumer took immediate steps to repair it; the credit is then split 50% to the customer, 50% absorbed by the City.
Violations & Fines
This section is a billing-relief process, not a separate offense: it grants no credit unless inspection confirms an accidental leak and shows the consumer repaired it immediately, so delay or negligence forfeits the 50% adjustment.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get a Flint water bill reduced after a hidden leak?
Who decides Flint water billing disputes over leaks?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Flint
Compare Flint to another location·View the Michigan water use rules overview
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