LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WAVE) - According to a U.S. Census Household Survey, more than 80 million Americans are having difficulty paying their bills.

Utility bills are at the top of that list now that moratoriums on utility shut offs during the pandemic have ended.

Recently, the WAVE 3 Newsroom began to get dozens of calls, emails, and messages by Facebook daily all with the same question, “Why is my water bill so high?”

We spoke to representatives from both the Louisville Water Company and the Louisville Metro Sewer District.

“Louisville Water and Louisville MSD are two separate agencies, but you see us both on the same bill,” stressed Kelley Dearing-Smith, Vice President of Communications & Marketing for the Louisville Water Company. “That’s really for convenience for our customers.”

Many people pick the bill up and immediately pay without looking at what they are being charged for, or if the amount of water used month to month has changed. Those numbers are important, especially if there is a problem with pipes or plumbing.