After many residents complained about the sudden increase in their water bills, the city of Wellington in northern Colorado took action to help people pay their water bills. The city council recently voted to increase the funds available for utility subsidies while also expanding the options for setting up installment payment plans.

The changes come after some residents experienced an increase in their water bills from $200 per month to, in some cases, over $1,200 per month.

“I know water bills are relatively high during these summer months,” said Wellington City Administrator Patti Garcia.

In an interview with CBS News Colorado, Garcia said she sympathized with residents struggling with high water bills.

However, she agreed with the city administration’s view that the high water bills were due to citizens’ excessive water consumption, something many had publicly denied.

“It’s irrigation. We didn’t hear from residents in January, February, March, April, May or June. But when the June bills came in in July, we started hearing from people,” Garcia said. “So it’s related to when people turned on their sprinklers.”

Dozens of residents have contacted CBS News Colorado to express their displeasure, with almost all accusing the city of improper billing.

Some have reported their water bills rising to more than $750 after the city claimed they used nearly 50,000 gallons for a single-family home. Others said they had contractors check their homes for leaks and reduced their water usage, and still the bills went up.

Garcia said the increase was not the city’s fault. She was “sure” of it.

The city recently raised water rates as it struggles to keep up with funding the city’s growth. Elected officials also said the city is trying to renegotiate a contract with its water utility, whose rates have increased more than 600% over the years.

City officials said the increased prices would help Wellington catch up on infrastructure development, claiming previously elected officials had failed to raise prices appropriately over the past few decades.

The city has been offering a utility subsidy program for years, known locally as “HUG.”

“The maximum amount used to be $300,” Garcia said.

However, several residents facing the increased bills said that a subsidy of up to $300 per year does little to mitigate the increased bill they have to pay within a month – let alone several months.

Following a public outcry, the local council decided to increase the amount people could receive with a “HUG.”

The city is now offering those in need three times their average water bill between January and March, the winter months.

Garcia said she has not noticed an increase in use of the HUG grant in recent weeks and months.

“As of the 21st, we had 13 applications for this year, which is not very many compared to the number of residents who have told us they are having problems paying their electricity bills,” Garcia said.

The city also plans to periodically shut off water supplies to people who do not pay their bills, on the 26th of each month.

In August of this year, Garcia said, she made the decision not to turn off water to any group of residents because many of them were worried about their inability to pay.

In August, 38 households were expected to have their water cut off. However, the city was able to reach 31 of these households and set up a payment plan.

For the seven households that could not agree on a payment plan, water service will continue through September. However, Garcia said the city may go back to cutting off service to those who cannot agree on a payment plan or make a full payment by the end of the month.

Garcia said the move was based on personal feelings and not just her professional duty.

“I know someone who has had high water bills before. I lived in a community where I had to call and ask about payment arrangements, and I understand the plight of the residents,” Garcia said. “I want to do whatever I can to help them.”

Garcia encouraged people to apply for the HUG grant and said the city is doing its best to educate residents about the options available to pay bills or reduce water usage.

Yet many people continue to express their discontent, with some even suggesting they will leave Wellington to find a community they can better afford.

The city is trying to renegotiate the contract with its provider, but still plans to increase prices by 5% annually in the coming years.

When asked about her reaction to residents’ plans or desires to move out of the city, Garcia said, “In my mind, I wish I could tell them to just hang on. It’s not going to last forever.”