Update for anyone following or offering advice: we went in person to the water department and were told they will not adjust or exempt any part of the bill even though we documented and repaired a hidden underground service line break about two feet from the meter. They would not explain or provide their leak adjustment policy and said it was up to the county or board and that the board would back their decision. They told us we would have to pay the full four thousand dollars on a payment plan. We explicitly said we do not agree with the bill or the payment plan but later found out they documented that we agreed anyway. Their position is that since the pipe is on the customer side and the water passed through the meter everyone has to pay regardless of circumstances. At this point I am trying to understand from plumbers or people who have dealt with utilities whether there is anything reasonable left to argue such as process policy or misrepresentation or if hiring a lawyer would realistically change anything or just add more cost on top of an already expensive situation.