Piracicaba water utility issues R$ 470,000 bill due to meter error

A resident of Piracicaba, Brazil, received an erroneous water bill totaling R$ 470,762.59. Eliana Aparecida Lopes, a retiree, noted that her monthly bills typically range between R$ 100 and R$ 150.

The Municipal Water and Sewage Service (Semae) acknowledged the error, attributing it to a faulty water meter. According to the agency, the meter was replaced in August, but the new equipment malfunctioned, causing a measurement inversion that led to the incorrect charge.

Semae stated that the meter has since been regularized and the bill has been corrected to R$ 70.51, which is the minimum service fee. A new bill with the corrected amount will be sent to the resident.