Leak relief and household assistance

A high water bill may have a path to review

Hidden plumbing failures can produce an alarming bill before the problem is visible. This guide separates what Knoxville Utilities Board (KUB) publicly describes from the practical steps every customer can take while requesting help.

Provider-specific review

What the public record says about a leak adjustment

KUB requires at least six months of service and a customer request by phone, email, or web form. For a water leak, consumption generally must exceed 15 times the customer’s average to qualify for the special water credit. With documented repair proof, KUB may credit 100% of qualifying excess consumption; without proof submitted within 90 days of repair, the credit is generally reduced to 50%. Wastewater credits use a 50% above-average threshold: an outside or invisible leak that did not enter the sewer can receive 100% of excess wastewater charges with timely proof, or 50% without proof, while inside fixture leaks that entered the sewer generally receive a 50% wastewater credit. Credits can cover up to two consecutive months and are limited to one comparable credit per 12 months. Retain plumber invoices, parts receipts, photographs, and post-repair meter readings.

Stop the loss

Shut off the failing fixture or supply and arrange a qualified repair.

Keep proof

Save dated invoices, parts receipts, photographs, and meter readings.

Request review

Submit the request promptly and keep paying any undisputed amount.

Utility assistance

Customer assistance and eligibility

KUB offers individualized payment arrangements, monthly installments, levelized billing, due-date extensions, and a partner network of roughly 200 agencies. The KUB Water Savers program provides emergency plumbing repairs and water-efficiency improvements for eligible low-income residential customers; applications route through the Knoxville-Knox County Community Action Committee at 865-244-3080. KUB does not publish a universal senior or disabled-veteran water-credit cap in the reviewed materials.

State and federal connections

Where to ask for broader aid

KUB directs customers to 211 East Tennessee at 865-215-4211, the Knoxville-Knox County Community Action Committee, Project Help at 865-637-6700, and county-based LIHEAP agencies. LIHEAP is federally funded and administered through local agencies; KUB counselors help customers identify payment arrangements and partner assistance, but Project Help and LIHEAP are not presented as a single automatic water-only credit.

Research status for this provider

4 of 4 relief signals publicly identified

Verify with official provider ↗

Emergency route

Published detail

Leak policy

Published detail

Utility aid

Published detail

State/federal aid

Published detail

Leak and assistance notes

Build the file before asking Knoxville Utilities Board (KUB) for relief

A high bill can have several causes, including a hidden plumbing failure, irrigation use, a meter issue, a change in occupancy, or a rate adjustment. The provider’s leak policy determines whether any credit is available; an unusually high bill does not automatically qualify.

Keep a dated record of the reading, the suspected source, the repair, the contractor or parts receipt, and the return to normal use. Ask whether the utility requires a specific form, a licensed repair, a meter test, photos, or a request within a fixed number of days.

For income-related difficulty, ask about local assistance, payment arrangements, state programs, and community referrals separately from a leak adjustment. These programs often use different applications, documents, funding limits, and deadlines.

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