BILLINGS- A Yellowstone County judge is allowing a lawsuit over disputed Billings water bills to move forward, rejecting the city’s request to dismiss the case.
Judge Ed Zink issued the ruling Tuesday in a lawsuit brought by Billings residents who say a city billing system change led to dramatically higher water bills.
The city argued the residents failed to follow a state law requiring claims against a municipality to be presented to the City Council before a lawsuit can be filed.
Zink disagreed, finding the law does not apply to the residents’ claims in this case. He also ruled the plaintiffs had made significant and persistent efforts to alert city officials and the City Council about their concerns.
The lawsuit alleges the city’s billing system conversion in 2024 resulted in excessive charges for thousands of residents. The city later hired an independent firm to audit the system.
The audit, completed in January 2025, found the billing was accurate at that time, but also identified inadequate staffing and problems with the system conversion.
The lawsuit includes claims of breach of contract, negligence and deceit. The plaintiffs are also seeking class-action status.
Zink’s ruling does not decide whether the city overcharged residents. It only allows the lawsuit to proceed past the city’s motion to dismiss.
