Our water bill soared to $214, and I discovered my neighbor secretly siphoning from our outdoor faucet, prompting unexpected advice from my husband.

When Ben compared our meter readings, everything changed.

“This isn’t just a rare incident.”

“I understand.”

“No, take a look here.”

He handed me his notes.

Ray’s consumption measured in the hundreds of gallons.

Last month, the weight of $214 shook our world.