Mistakes in utility billing are rare, but when they happen, they can cause quite a shock. A woman from Rawang, Selangor recently experienced this firsthand when her water bill for August skyrocketed to an astonishing RM5,000—far from her usual monthly charge of RM50.
Photo via Siakap Keli
Sharing her story on the social media platform Xiaohongshu, the woman explained that the bill indicated she had used 2,029 cubic metres of water, which is enough to fill an Olympic-sized swimming pool. She quickly realised something was off.
Suspecting an error, she noted that her water metre had been replaced without any notice from Air Selangor. She believed the new metre's reading must have started at 2,000 cubic metres instead of 0.
"There was no notification about the metre replacement. We think it started at 2,000, and we’ve only used 29 cubic metres of water," she explained.
She immediately reported the issue to Air Selangor, and although a customer service representative confirmed her suspicion, an inspector later contradicted this. Frustrated, she voiced her thoughts: "Even if I had a burst pipe, would it really lead to a RM5,000 bill?"
Despite visiting an Air Selangor counter in person, she was advised to wait for further action. The woman shared her experience online, wondering if anyone else had faced a similar issue.
The post quickly gained attention, with amused netizens commenting on the absurdity of the bill. Some jokingly asked if she had plans to fill multiple swimming pools or create her own ocean.
Photo via Xiaohongshu (YYY)
Others, however, offered helpful tips. One user suggested she check for any leaks by turning off all faucets and monitoring the metre to see if it continued to move. Thankfully, the woman confirmed she had no such issues.
While these incidents are rare, they highlight the importance of staying vigilant about utility bills. We hope the matter is resolved quickly and that Air Selangor’s team addresses the issue efficiently.
In the meantime, it’s a good reminder for everyone to regularly monitor their water usage and report any unusual spikes to avoid surprises like this!
